Ohio man raped 11-year-old who is now pregnant; new law may force her to give birth [View all]

[muriel_volestrangler]

Last edited Wed May 8, 2019, 07:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Police said Juan Leon-Gomez, 26, of Massillon, was arrested Wednesday after a mother reported that her daughter was missing.

The suspect’s roommate allowed police to search their home after the girl’s mother filed a missing person report, police said. When cops entered the residence, the 11-year-old was found in an upstairs bedroom closet.
...
Ohio’s new “heartbeat bill” means that the 11-year-old girl will likely be forced to carry the child to birth, regardless of the fact that she was raped.

According to NPR, the “Human Rights Protection Act,” as the heartbeat bill was renamed, bans abortions as early as five or six weeks, before many women even know they’re pregnant. It adds criminal penalties for doctors who violate the law, and does not include exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

https://buckeyestate.news/2019/05/03/police-ohio-man-raped-11-year-old-who-is-now-pregnant/?fbclid=IwAR1ToIgXjOZTSMS5Npsc6BK5CCw8jUckktn3WsC-BJPgXcdIe-AibV56WOI

Someone may be able to file a suit against the law; but it's possible someone will try to force the 11 year old, who would be at far-heightened risk of medical problems or even death from giving birth so young, to continue with the pregnancy

Via Wonkette.

EXCEPT: as Ms. Toad points out below, the bill, although signed by the governor, shouldn't go into effect until July 11 (see eg http://www.denisonian.com/2019/04/news/heartbeat-bill-signed-by-ohio-governor-mike-dewine/), which gives time both for an abortion now (assuming her parents will opt for that, which they ought to for their daughter's health, both physical and mental), and for a general legal challenge to the law (which you would hope would suspend it).