Doctor Who Performed Abortion For 10-Year-Old From Ohio Being Investigated By Indiana AG

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The attorney general of Indiana has announced plans to investigate the doctor who performed an abortion for a pregnant 10-year-old rape victim from neighboring Ohio.

“We’re gathering the evidence as we speak and we’re going to fight this to the end, including looking at her licensure, if she failed to report,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a recent interview on Fox News.

All abortions in Indiana must be reported to the state with specifics about whether the patient was seeking an abortion due to abuse. Medical providers have 30 days to report abortions for patients 16 and older but only three days to do so for younger patients.

The abortion was reportedly performed June 30 by the Indianapolis-based Dr. Caitlin Bernard, who Rokita said has “a history of failing to report.” Abortion is banned at six weeks in Ohio with exceptions only for life endangerment or severely compromised health, but the procedure is legal until 22 weeks in Indiana, according to the Guttmacher Institute. However, that could change for Hoosiers after a special legislative session later this month.

Bernard’s attorney, identified by The Indianapolis Star as Kathleen Delaney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday, but Bernard took to Twitter to issue a statement Wednesday night.

“My heart breaks for all survivors of sexual assault and abuse,” she said. “I am so sad that our country is failing them when they need us most. Doctors must be able to give people the medical care they need, when and where they need it.”

The recent cross-state abortion became international news in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn Roe v. Wade. The abortion was mentioned last week by President Joe Biden, but Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a Fox News appearance Monday he had heard “not a whisper” about the case. The next day, 27-year-old Gershon Fuentes, of Columbus, was arrested and charged with felony rape, having admitted to twice raping the girl, according to the Columbus Dispatch.