On November 1, 1991, 21-year-old Anjelica Duarte underwent an abortion by Dr. Larry Thompson at Women’s Place Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to one of Anjelica’s friends, Anjelica had sought an abortion because a doctor had recommended that she delay having another baby for five years due to health problems. Anjelica already had a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old daughter.
After the abortion, Anjelica was kept under observation for several hours, but was not given any care.
She was rushed to the hospital by paramedics at 7:30 that evening, but she was dead on arrival.
A hospital spokesman said that she had lost 90 percent of her blood; her uterus had been perforated.
In reviewing the case, the medical board noted that Thompson did not have adequate equipment for post-operative care, and revoked his license.
Anjelica’s was not the only tragic death caused by doctors who recommended (or excused) abortion as a life-saving or health-preserving option for the mother:
* Allegra Roseberry was pushed into an abortion in order to obtain experimental cancer treatment.
* Barbara Hoppert died after an abortion recommended due to a congenital heart problem.
* Christin Gilbert died after an abortion George Tiller holds was justified on grounds of maternal health.
* Erika Peterson died in 1961 when her doctors obtained her husband’s permission to perform a “therapeutic” abortion.
* “Molly” Roe died in 1975 when her doctors made the dubious decision to perform a saline abortion to improve her chances of surviving a lupus crisis.
Sources: “Vegas abortion death investigated,” San Francisco Examiner, November 4, 1991, A-7; “Woman dies after abortion at NLV clinic,” The Las Vegas Review-Journal, November 1, 1991; “Answers sought in abortion,” November 2, 1991; Las Vegas Review-Journal 12-10-91; Washington Times 11-21-91;
Credit: Christina Dunigan
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