dr.strangelove
09-27-2006, 01:24 PM
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COLUMBUS, Ga. Sep 26, 2006 (AP)— Police have arrested the mother and two cousins of a pregnant 16-year-old who are accused of forcing the teen to drink turpentine in an attempt to induce an abortion.
Rozelletta B. Blackshire, 44, was charged with criminal abortion and first-degree cruelty to children, Columbus Police Sgt. Debra Bohannon said. The teen's cousins, Shonda Y. Blackshire, 26, of Columbus, and Monica M. Johnson, 28, of Eufaula, Ala., also were arrested Friday and charged with criminal abortion.
Investigators have not determined whether the turpentine has had any harmful effects on the teen, who is three months pregnant, or the fetus.
"There's no medical evidence that would support you could induce an abortion by giving her turpentine," Bohannon said. "Still, it's not made to ingest. It's not good to ingest."
Bohannon said the girl's mother and cousins twice forced her to drink turpentine between Sept. 12 and Sept. 20.
The women might have wanted the teen to have an abortion because her pregnancy could have exacerbated an unrelated health problem, Bohannon said. The girl is in protective custody.
Police were notified after the girl told her school counselor that her mother made her drink turpentine.
Bohannon said the sex crimes unit was handling the case because they already were investigating a sexual assault case involving the pregnant teen. Investigators believe the girl conceived during that assault.
If convicted in the criminal abortion case, the women could face up to 10 years in prison.
Phone numbers for Rozelletta Blackshire and Johnson were not listed and the women could not be reached for comment. A number listed for Shonda Blackshire was disconnected.
Not sure if this belongs in GD or Choice, so I will leave it to the Mods to move it if I was wrong.
While this case appears to involve criminal behavior, I fear it may result in young women thinking that consuming household chemicals like turpentine is an effective and safe way to termintate a pregnancy. In rural areas, the distance to the nearest safe abortion provider can be several hours by car. I can see a rise in self abortions using dangerous methods like this if the trend of closing safe abortion clinics continues.
Also, on this story, what a scary ordeal for this young woman to endure. Being pregnany at 16 must be difficult enough to cope with, but being forced to have an abortion by consuming turpentine is frightening. The article mentions that the 16 year old may ahve another medical condition and the pregnancy would have harmed her. Yet her mom thought the most effective way of dealing with this was to use turpentine. I wonder how far the nearest safe abortion provider was. Although the cause of the harm appears to be criminal behaviour, I wonder if a cheap safe abortion was available nearby, would the mother have gone that route?
COLUMBUS, Ga. Sep 26, 2006 (AP)— Police have arrested the mother and two cousins of a pregnant 16-year-old who are accused of forcing the teen to drink turpentine in an attempt to induce an abortion.
Rozelletta B. Blackshire, 44, was charged with criminal abortion and first-degree cruelty to children, Columbus Police Sgt. Debra Bohannon said. The teen's cousins, Shonda Y. Blackshire, 26, of Columbus, and Monica M. Johnson, 28, of Eufaula, Ala., also were arrested Friday and charged with criminal abortion.
Investigators have not determined whether the turpentine has had any harmful effects on the teen, who is three months pregnant, or the fetus.
"There's no medical evidence that would support you could induce an abortion by giving her turpentine," Bohannon said. "Still, it's not made to ingest. It's not good to ingest."
Bohannon said the girl's mother and cousins twice forced her to drink turpentine between Sept. 12 and Sept. 20.
The women might have wanted the teen to have an abortion because her pregnancy could have exacerbated an unrelated health problem, Bohannon said. The girl is in protective custody.
Police were notified after the girl told her school counselor that her mother made her drink turpentine.
Bohannon said the sex crimes unit was handling the case because they already were investigating a sexual assault case involving the pregnant teen. Investigators believe the girl conceived during that assault.
If convicted in the criminal abortion case, the women could face up to 10 years in prison.
Phone numbers for Rozelletta Blackshire and Johnson were not listed and the women could not be reached for comment. A number listed for Shonda Blackshire was disconnected.
Not sure if this belongs in GD or Choice, so I will leave it to the Mods to move it if I was wrong.
While this case appears to involve criminal behavior, I fear it may result in young women thinking that consuming household chemicals like turpentine is an effective and safe way to termintate a pregnancy. In rural areas, the distance to the nearest safe abortion provider can be several hours by car. I can see a rise in self abortions using dangerous methods like this if the trend of closing safe abortion clinics continues.
Also, on this story, what a scary ordeal for this young woman to endure. Being pregnany at 16 must be difficult enough to cope with, but being forced to have an abortion by consuming turpentine is frightening. The article mentions that the 16 year old may ahve another medical condition and the pregnancy would have harmed her. Yet her mom thought the most effective way of dealing with this was to use turpentine. I wonder how far the nearest safe abortion provider was. Although the cause of the harm appears to be criminal behaviour, I wonder if a cheap safe abortion was available nearby, would the mother have gone that route?