Now that the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s office has denied a request from a leading pro-life Catholic priest to give the babies abortion practitioner Kermit Gosnell killed in brutal infanticides a proper burial, what will happen to the bodies?
As LifeNews reported, the medical examiner’s office denied without explanation a request from Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, ave the bodies of the babies after the all of the court proceedings are finished. He wants a proper burial of the remains of 45 babies killed by the abortion practitioner and his abortion clinic staff.
The office has not responded to LifeNews’ request for comment and Pavone is now wondering what will happen to their bodies.
“In April, we requested permission from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner to bury these children,” Fr. Pavone stated. “The nation was stunned to learn how Dr. Gosnell killed these children, and then stored their bodies in cat food containers and freezers. Now we have an opportunity to treat them better, by at least honoring their bodies with a proper funeral and burial.”
Pavone’s request for the bodies received wide publicity as the trial entered its final weeks. As the jury deliberated, Priests for Life held a service in which these 45 children were given names.
Now, however, through a letter from the Medical Examiner, Priests for Life is being told that the bodies “will not be released to any third party organization.”
“People across the country are now asking why. Pro-life as well as pro-choice people, citizens and their political leaders, and even relatives of the babies, want to know why we cannot give these children a proper burial,” Fr. Pavone explained. “And, of course, the other big question is, What is the state going to do with these babies? Will they be thrown in the garbage as medical waste? Will they be burned?”
Priests for Life has asked the public to direct these questions to the Medical Examiner’s office in Philadelphia, and is appealing to state and federal officials to intervene.
Pavone told LifeNews: “If there was so much outrage over how Dr. Gosnell treated these children, shouldn’t there be outrage as to how the rest of us treat them now?”
The Catholic pro-life leader said Priests for Life intends to hold a national funeral service for the Gosnell babies, whether or not the bodies can be obtained.
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“This is the least we can do, given the humanity of these children and the inhumanity with which they were treated,” Fr. Pavone said. “People were rightly upset by the Gosnell case; this will be a way to bring some closure to the experience and let the healing begin.”
The pro-life group is responding to the decision with a Twitter blast on Friday.
See contact info below for the Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office
Medical Examiner’s Office
Sam P. Gulino, MD, Chief Medical Examiner
David Quain, Forensic Services Director
321 University Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-685-7458
215-685-9465 (fax)
