Vice President Kamala Harris expressed deep concern on Tuesday regarding the tragic death of a young mother from Georgia who passed away after enduring a 20-hour wait for medical attention to address complications arising from an abortion pill. Harris attributed the incidents leading to Amber Thurman’s death to the influences of former President Donald Trump, highlighting his stance on allowing states to dictate abortion laws. The unfortunate event unfolded merely a couple of weeks after Georgia implemented a stringent abortion ban in 2022, post the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to nullify nationwide abortion rights, a decision influenced by three justices appointed by Trump.
Harris emphasized that Amber Thurman should have been alive to care for her child and pursue her aspirations of attending nursing school. She underscored the plight of women facing significant challenges in accessing proper medical care due to restrictive abortion laws. The Vice President is expected to continue raising awareness about Thurman’s case to mobilize female voters within the Democratic Party.
Reports unveiled that following the Supreme Court’s decision, numerous pregnant women were unlawfully denied ER services, with a notable surge in incidents recorded in states enforcing abortion bans like Texas and Missouri. Shockingly, instances emerged where women had to endure miscarriages in public restrooms or were advised by medical professionals to seek treatment elsewhere, resulting in severe health complications. Despite exceptions existing in Georgia’s law for cases such as rape, incest, and saving the mother’s life, questions arose regarding the hospital’s delay in providing critical care to Thurman, ultimately leading to her passing.
In response to the incident, the Trump campaign absolved itself of blame by shifting responsibility to the hospital for failing to administer timely life-saving measures. Thurman’s tragic case is currently under scrutiny by the state’s maternal mortality commission. The hospital in suburban Atlanta, where the unfortunate event transpired, did not face any federal citations for neglecting to provide stabilizing treatment to a pregnant patient in the past two years, as per federal records examined by the Associated Press.
Amber Thurman sought medical assistance at the hospital to address complications arising from an abortion pill consumption, a treatment sought following the enactment of a law by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp restricting abortions. Thurman’s condition worsened, leading to sepsis, yet medical personnel did not perform a necessary procedure to remove the remaining fetal tissue from her uterus, resulting in her untimely demise on the operation table. Following this tragic incident, Democrats and advocates for abortion rights have intensified their calls to repeal strict abortion bans, emphasizing the detrimental impacts on women’s healthcare.