Aborted at 32 Weeks - No Problem in Australia

Victoria, Australia -- A Victorian coroner has ruled that she does not have the jurisdiction to investigate the abortion of a 32-week-old unborn child at the Royal Women's Hospital two years ago.

According to "The Age" in Australia, a coroner does not have the authority to investigate the death of a child by abortion even though the unborn child was of 32 weeks gestation. Her reason is that the child was stillborn and she does not have jurisdiction in still births.

The child’s mother found out that her child would be dwarfed but not lethally handicapped. She threatened to commit suicide unless the doctors aborted the baby. The doctors decided to comply.

In Victoria, the law permits abortion to protect the mother’s mental health without reference to the age of her unborn child.

Source: The Age (Australia); January 23, 2002 as quoted in the Pro-Life Infonet 1/25/02 (#1) 2616   Courtesy of the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to http://www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org