Little Evidence to Support Story of 10-year-old Rape Victim Going to Indiana for Abortion

[WisconsinLiberty]

Update:

July 13, 2022

Illegal Alien Arrested in Rape of 10-year-old in Ohio Who Went to Indiana for Abortion

The New American

The story of a 10-year-old rape victim who left Ohio for Indiana to get an abortion is, apparently, true. But another major part of the story the leftist media will ignore is this: The suspect is an illegal alien from Guatemala.

A source with Immigration and Customs Enforcement divulged the suspect’s immigration status to Fox News after The Columbus Dispatch, which falsely identified him as a “Columbus man,” disclosed the arrest.

The news is not surprising. Government data from the southwest border show that Hispanic illegals are frequently arrested for child rape and molestation.
...


SOURCE:
https://thenewamerican.com/illegal-...old-in-ohio-who-went-to-indiana-for-abortion/



====


Little Evidence to Support Story of 10-year-old Rape Victim Going to Indiana for Abortion: WaPo

The New American
July 13, 2022


Did a 10-year-old rape victim travel from Ohio to Indiana to obtain an abortion after her home state banned most abortions? Most major media and even the president of the United States seem to believe so, but The Washington Post found that there is precious little evidence to support the claim.

The story of the young rape victim began as an anecdote in a July 1 Indianapolis Star article on women — or, as the Gannett-owned paper would have it, “pregnant people” — who were traveling to Indiana to procure abortions after their own states restricted the procedure in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

According to the Star, on June 27, Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Caitlin Bernard, who also performs abortions, was contacted by “a child abuse doctor in Ohio” claiming to have “a 10-year-old patient in the office who was six weeks and three days pregnant.” The newspaper did not state that the girl had been raped, though presumably that is the reason she was seeing the child-abuse doctor.

Thanks to a 2019 Ohio law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which the courts only allowed to take effect post-Dobbs, the girl could not obtain an abortion in the Buckeye State, so she was taken to Indianapolis, where Bernard killed the unborn child — or so the story goes.

The 10-year-old’s alleged plight fit the pro-abortion narrative so perfectly — heartless Republicans forcing a child-rape victim to travel long distances to abort a baby she should never have conceived — that it spread like wildfire through the media. Outlets as varied as The Hill, The Jerusalem Post, and Bangladesh Weekly repackaged the anecdote without bothering to verify its veracity. CNN grilled South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem about it. President Joe Biden cited it when signing a pro-abortion executive order.

When the Post’s fact checker, Glenn Kessler, decided to put the story to the test, however, he soon recognized its shortcomings:

The only source cited for the anecdote was Bernard. She’s on the record, but there is no indication that the newspaper made other attempts to confirm her account. The story’s lead reporter, Shari Rudavsky, did not respond to a query asking whether additional sourcing was obtained. A Gannett spokeswoman provided a comment from Bro Krift, the newspaper’s executive editor: “The facts and sourcing about people crossing state lines into Indiana, including the 10-year-old girl, for abortions are clear. We have no additional comment at this time.”​

Moreover,

Under Ohio law, a physician, as a mandated reporter under Ohio Revised Code 2151.421, would be required to report any case of known or suspected physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect of a child to their local child welfare or law enforcement agency. So Bernard’s colleague would have had to make such a report to law enforcement at the same time he or she contacted Bernard. Presumably then a criminal case would have been opened.

Bernard declined to identify to the Fact Checker her colleague or the city where the child was located.​

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s press secretary told Kessler that the governor’s office did not know of the case in question, though it would have been a matter for local government. Kessler checked with child-services agencies in many Ohio cities, but came up empty there, too.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told Fox News he’s heard “not a whisper” about the alleged rape, nor has the state crime lab received any evidence for analysis in such a case. Furthermore, he said, a 10-year-old rape victim would not be prohibited from getting an abortion under Ohio’s heartbeat law.

It’s also worth noting that while a federal court lifted its injunction against the heartbeat law on June 24, the Ohio Supreme Court did not lift its own injunction until July 1, four days after Bernard allegedly received the call from the Ohio doctor. Abortion, therefore, was still completely legal in the Buckeye State at that time.

Kessler was unable to determine whether the story is true or false, writing that it is “very difficult … to check.” But given the motives of those pushing the tale, the lack of evidence to corroborate it, and the Star’s rather defensive response to Kessler’s inquiries, few outside the pro-abortion camp will be surprised if it ultimately turns out to be unfounded.



Related Articles:

‘Not a whisper’ of evidence to show 10-year-old Ohio rape victim got abortion in Indiana: AG Yost tells FOX News
President Biden talked about the reported abortion on July 8.
https://www.fox19.com/2022/07/12/no...-got-abortion-indiana-ag-yost-tells-fox-news/


Ohio AG claims ‘not a whisper’ about reported 10-year-old rape victim who got abortion
https://nypost.com/2022/07/12/ohio-ag-unaware-of-reported-rape-victim-10-who-had-abortion/


Indiana Abortionist Dodges Questions about Story of Alleged Ten-Year-Old Rape Victim
https://www.nationalreview.com/2022...ut-story-of-alleged-ten-year-old-rape-victim/


Biden-cited story of 10-year-old Ohio rape victim needing abortion still not verified by fact-checkers
Snopes, Washington Post unable to verify viral story pushed by Biden
https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden...ing-abortion-still-not-verified-fact-checkers

 

[Occam's Banana]

Wherein a fact-checker [sic] deems an anecdotal story with no evidence or corroboration of any kind to nevertheless be a "fact", since it went viral and POTUS repeated it:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ory-about-10-year-old-an-abortion-goes-viral/
[archive link: https://archive.ph/Fd1Ti]

//

 

[Occam's Banana]

Arrest made in rape of Ohio girl that led to Indiana abortion drawing international attention
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news...year-old-led-abortion-in-indiana/10046625002/
Bethany Bruner, Monroe Trombly & Tony Cook (13 July 2022)

A Columbus man has been charged with impregnating a 10-year-old Ohio girl, whose travel to Indiana to seek an abortion led to international attention following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade and activation of Ohio's abortion law.

Gershon Fuentes, 27, whose last known address was an apartment on Columbus' Northwest Side, was arrested Tuesday after police say he confessed to raping the child on at least two occasions. He's since been charged with rape, a felony of the first degree in Ohio.

Columbus police were made aware of the girl's pregnancy through a referral by Franklin County Children Services that was made by her mother on June 22, Det. Jeffrey Huhn testified Wednesday morning at Fuentes' arraignment. On June 30, the girl underwent a medical abortion in Indianapolis, Huhn said.

Huhn also testified that DNA from the clinic in Indianapolis is being tested against samples from Fuentes, as well as the child's siblings, to confirm contribution to the aborted fetus.

Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Cynthia Ebner said the case did not warrant Fuentes — who is believed to be undocumented — to be held without bond.

Ebner said a high bond was necessary, however, due to Fuentes being a possible flight risk and for the safety of the child involved. Before being arrested, Huhn and Det. David Phillips collected a saliva sample from Fuentes, according to a probable cause statement.

Ebner set a $2 million bond for Fuentes, who is being held in the Franklin County jail.

Charges confirm story that has become abortion debate flash point

The criminal charges and testimony from the Columbus detective confirms the disturbing story that has become a key flash point in the national furor over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The Indianapolis Star, a Gannett sister paper of The Dispatch, first reported earlier this month that a 10-year-old rape victim traveled from Ohio to Indiana for abortion services after most abortions became illegal in her home state. The account was attributed to Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indianapolis physician who provides abortion services.

The story quickly went viral, appearing in outlets across the globe, and became a top talking point for abortion rights supporters, including President Joe Biden.

"Imagine being that little girl," Biden said Friday as he decried the high court’s decision. "I’m serious. Just imagine being that little girl."

But in recent days, some abortion opponents and news outlets criticized the story as unproven.

Story was questioned by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Fox News

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also questioned the validity of the account during an appearance on Fox News this week.

Yost, a Republican, told Fox News host Jesse Watters that his office had not heard "a whisper" of a report being filed for the 10-year-old victim.

"We have regular contact with prosecutors and local police and sheriffs — not a whisper anywhere," Yost said on the show.

Yost doubled down on that in an interview with the USA TODAY Network Ohio bureau on Tuesday, saying that the more time passed before confirmation made it "more likely that this is a fabrication."

"I know the cops and prosecutors in this state," Yost said. "There's not one of them that wouldn't be turning over every rock, looking for this guy and they would have charged him. They wouldn't leave him loose on the streets ... I'm not saying it could not have happened. What I'm saying to you is there is not a damn scintilla of evidence."

On Wednesday, once news of the arraignment came, Yost issued a single sentence statement:

"We rejoice anytime a child rapist is taken off the streets."

Hearing details investigation, concerns about suspect

During Wednesday’s hearing, Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Dan Meyer requested Fuentes be held without bond. He said Fuentes is not believed to be in the country legally and there are questions about his identity.

Huhn testified that detectives spoke to Fuentes, through an interpreter, and Fuentes admitted to having sexual contact with the girl. An interpreter was also used during Wednesday's hearing.

The 10-year-old also told police Fuentes was the father of the pregnancy, Huhn testified. Meyer said the girl had just turned 10 recently, meaning she was likely impregnated at 9 years old.

Clark Torbett, an attorney with the Franklin County Public Defender’s office, said it was unconstitutional to hold Fuentes without bond, especially with DNA confirmation of the pregnancy’s father still pending.

He said Fuentes had lived in Columbus the last seven years and had a steady job at a café. He also had an address where he could live that was not at the same location as the 10-year-old.

If convicted, Fuentes would face a potential life sentence in prison.

Data shows frequency of reports of sexual abuse of children

An analysis of Columbus police reports filed since May 9 found 50 reports of rape or sexual abuse involving a person 15 years or younger. That number of reports may also be underreported because of restrictions on public records related to reports initiated by mandated reporters. The report involving the 10-year-old girl falls into that category.

In 2020 there were 52 abortions in children 15 or younger in Ohio, accounting for .3% of the 20,605 abortions performed that year, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Data from the health department shows there were 63 such procedures in 2019, 54 in 2018, 61 in 2017 and 76 in 2016.

Data from 2021 is not yet available.

 

[Swordsmyth]

Ohio law allows abortion under the circumstances.
But the leftist doctor hid the case and sent her out of state to protect the rapist invader.

 

[jmdrake]

Ohio law allows abortion under the circumstances.
But the leftist doctor hid the case and sent her out of state to protect the rapist invader.

That would be correct. Ohio allows abortion for "serious health risk."

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/ne...ow-six-week-ban-ectopic-pregnancy/7748045001/

Abortions beyond this threshold are legal if the provider determines it's a medical emergency and necessary to prevent the pregnant person's death or "serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function." There are no exceptions for cases of rape and incest or fatal fetal anomalies.

What constitutes a medical emergency is not clear and left to "the physician's reasonable medical judgment."

"We are even now still working out the details and trying to figure out processes, as are many places across the state," said Dr. David Hackney, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and chair of the Ohio chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

State statute does define a "serious risk" as conditions including pre-eclampsia, inevitable abortion and premature rupture of the membranes. Those conditions may also include, but are not limited to, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

The law explicitly says mental health conditions do not qualify as a "serious risk" that warrants terminating a pregnancy.​

A 10 year old pregnant woman is, by definition, in a serious health risk.

Nor are 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds remotely prepared to care for a baby, Wall said. But the risks are physical, as well.

"The placenta preferentially will take nutrition from the mother, who really is a child," said Sherry Thomas, an ob/gyn at Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City, Calif. That means that the developing fetus will leach calcium and other nutrients from a child who should still be growing herself. Likewise, pregnancy puts a major strain on the cardiovascular system, according to Wall. Pregnant women have about 50 percent more blood circulating through their bodies compared with non-pregnant women. [8 Odd Bodily Changes During Pregnancy]

The greatest danger, however, is to the pelvic floor. Girls may start ovulating and menstruating as early as age 9, though the average is around 12 to 13. (Some studies suggest that the average age of first menstruation is dropping, but the data is not conclusive.) Just because a girl can get pregnant, though, doesn't mean she can safely deliver a baby. The pelvis does not fully widen until the late teens, meaning that young girls may not be able to push the baby through the birth canal.

The results are horrific, said Wall and Thomas, who have both worked in Africa treating women in the aftermath of such labors. Girls may labor for days; many die. Their babies often don't survive labor either.

The women and girls who do survive often develop fistulas, which are holes between the vaginal wall and the rectum or bladder. When the baby's head pushes down and gets stuck, it can cut portions of the mother's soft tissue between its skull and her pelvic bones. As a result, the tissue dies, and a hole forms. Feces and urine then leak through the hole and out of the vagina. Women with fistulas are often divorced and shunned. And young girls are at higher risk.

"The younger you are, the more trauma will occur, because the pelvic floor isn't developed enough," Thomas said. In that way, she said, the young Colombian girl was fortunate to have access to a hospital that could provide a caesarean section.

As growth tends to slow in girls once menstruation starts, a 10-year-old capable of getting pregnant is likely to be especially small, with a small pelvis, Wall said. And even if puberty onset is happening earlier (Wall isn't entirely convinced by the current data), pelvises are certainly not maturing any faster, he said. If puberty does occur earlier, that would put young girls at risk for dangerous pregnancies for a longer period of time.​

That said, the Ohio legislature should amend the law to say "A serious health risk includes the risk to a mother who's body has not developed to the point of being capable of safely carrying a pregnancy to term." Or something to that effect. The right ran into a PR trap focusing on the veracity of the story. The left is focusing on the rape aspect. But even if a 10 year old girl artificially got pregnant from a 10 year old boy through consensual sex, she'd still face the same risk to her body.

 

[nobody's_hero]

Feels somewhat ironic that the left is also responsible for hyper-sexualizing the younger generations. I'm half surprised they aren't celebrating that she got pregnant. Time for netfix to release Cuties 2?

 

[Voluntarist]

A 10 year old pregnant woman is, by definition, in a serious health risk.

Nor are 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds remotely prepared to care for a baby, Wall said. But the risks are physical, as well.

"The placenta preferentially will take nutrition from the mother, who really is a child," said Sherry Thomas, an ob/gyn at Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City, Calif. That means that the developing fetus will leach calcium and other nutrients from a child who should still be growing herself. Likewise, pregnancy puts a major strain on the cardiovascular system, according to Wall. Pregnant women have about 50 percent more blood circulating through their bodies compared with non-pregnant women. [8 Odd Bodily Changes During Pregnancy]

The greatest danger, however, is to the pelvic floor. Girls may start ovulating and menstruating as early as age 9, though the average is around 12 to 13. (Some studies suggest that the average age of first menstruation is dropping, but the data is not conclusive.) Just because a girl can get pregnant, though, doesn't mean she can safely deliver a baby. The pelvis does not fully widen until the late teens, meaning that young girls may not be able to push the baby through the birth canal.

The results are horrific, said Wall and Thomas, who have both worked in Africa treating women in the aftermath of such labors. Girls may labor for days; many die. Their babies often don't survive labor either.

The women and girls who do survive often develop fistulas, which are holes between the vaginal wall and the rectum or bladder. When the baby's head pushes down and gets stuck, it can cut portions of the mother's soft tissue between its skull and her pelvic bones. As a result, the tissue dies, and a hole forms. Feces and urine then leak through the hole and out of the vagina. Women with fistulas are often divorced and shunned. And young girls are at higher risk.

"The younger you are, the more trauma will occur, because the pelvic floor isn't developed enough," Thomas said. In that way, she said, the young Colombian girl was fortunate to have access to a hospital that could provide a caesarean section.

As growth tends to slow in girls once menstruation starts, a 10-year-old capable of getting pregnant is likely to be especially small, with a small pelvis, Wall said. And even if puberty onset is happening earlier (Wall isn't entirely convinced by the current data), pelvises are certainly not maturing any faster, he said. If puberty does occur earlier, that would put young girls at risk for dangerous pregnancies for a longer period of time.​

God really screwed up, allowing young women to ovulate before their bodies can handle pregnancy and birth. Then again, she probably identified as being older.

 

[Occam's Banana]

https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/1547643268040560640

https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/1547658752421072896

 

[nobody's_hero]

I wonder if this is going to end up being a case of child-trafficking/sex trafficking.

Conservatives, Right-Wing Media Left Flailing After Arrest Confirms Child Rape Story
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crim...sedgntp&cvid=6ddb905a6f4e473e9a610ef7e8855110

Oh my, Who to believe, who to believe?

Based on Occam's last post it seems like the mother is protecting the dude. Seems like there's much more to this story.

If it was some illegal immigrant rapist child-trafficking shenanigans, that's not gonna make the Left look good. Might want to re-evaluate if this is really the poster child they want.

 

[WisconsinLiberty]

Wow. What on earth is going on here?

Didn't Gerson Fuentes admit guilt?

* Fuentes

Ohio 10-year-old's alleged illegal immigrant rapist, 27, was listed as minor in abortionist’s report to state
Ohio 10-year-old's mother appeared to defend alleged rapist, 27-year-old illegal immigrant Gerson Fuentes, to reporter

Fox News
July 14, 2022

----
Fuentes confessed to the crime to Columbus Police Department investigators, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement Wednesday.

However, the 10-year-old's mother said her daughter was "fine" and "everything they say about [Gerson Flores] is a lie" when confronted Thursday by a Telemundo reporter.
----