Personhood USA Opinion: First forced abortion documented in Texas

DENVER, Jan. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Personhood USA:

Thousands of babies are killed daily in the United States, but it is uncommon to have the eyes of the nation fixed on a particular baby. While abortion clinics pull in money hand over fist from willing clients, Marlise Munoz was not a client. Marlise Munoz did not consent to her child's death. A terrible tragedy rendered Marlise incapable of defending herself from a hideous forced abortion, sought by the victim's family, sanctioned by the State of Texas, and carried out by JPS Hospital.

The consequences of the unrepentant killing of Baby Munoz are chilling: any woman could undergo a forced abortion if unable to voice an opposition.

The court order for the execution of Baby Munoz appears to have violated Texas law, which states "A person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient."

District Judge R.H. Wallace noted that Marlise Munoz could have chosen to have an abortion at this stage of pregnancy, citing the arbitrary line of "viability." Aside from the fact that no mother should be able to legally kill her child, Marlise Munoz did not choose to have an abortion. When she was alive and in full possession of her faculties, she had chosen life for her child. Marlise's choice was disregarded after she was no longer able to defend herself or her daughter.

Judge Wallace also ignored the fact that babies have survived at the age that baby Munoz was yesterday. There are documented cases of 22-week-old babies, and even younger, surviving early delivery. Why was baby Munoz denied even the possibility of survival? It appears that the baby girl's disabilities determined her value in this case, and sadly, it was wrongly decided that her life was not worth saving. According to ABC News, family attorneys may have blamed a lack of oxygen for the baby's apparent medical issues incorrectly, according to medical experts. Regardless, disabled children are created in God's Image, and still have a right to live.

Considering Marlise Munoz alone, it would not have been wrong to stop mechanical life support for a person who is dead. But it is murder to deprive an innocent living human being of oxygen and nutrients. Marlise's baby girl was alive. She could very well have survived a c-section before life support was pulled. If there were doubts as to her potential survival, Marlise could have been kept on life support for a meager two weeks longer to ensure a better outcome for the baby.

If Marlise must have been taken off of life support, what possible reason was there to intentionally kill the innocent child instead of performing a c-section to save the baby's life before they pulled the plug? The baby may or may not have survived a c-section, but if she didn't make it, her passing would have been a tragedy instead of a deliberate killing.

The premeditated killing of any child--whether it be in an abortion clinic or in a Texas hospital--is horrifying. It is absolutely wrong to kill an innocent person, no matter their age, location, size, sex, race, or ability. The murder of Marlise Munoz' baby was wrong, just as abortion is always wrong.

Marlise Munoz may have been considered dead in November, but her innocent baby was alive until yesterday. This was a premeditated execution weeks in the making. Personhood USA mourns the loss of Marlise Munoz and her daughter Nicole.

Jennifer Mason is available for comment Jennifer@PersonhoodUSA.

SOURCE Personhood USA