A British mother was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison today after she pled guilty to poisoning her late-term unborn baby in a do-it-yourself abortion.
Natalie Towers was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant when she ordered an abortion drug online and took the poison to kill her unborn child in November 2014, LifeNews previously reported.
The Newcastle Crown Court sentenced Towers today after she pled guilty to administering the poison with the intent to procure an abortion, according to the report. The 24-year-old woman reportedly cried throughout the hearing and screamed as her sentence was announced.
An autopsy of her baby revealed that he was between 32 and 34 weeks gestation, which is viable outside the womb, the report states. Though paramedics tried to save his life, the autopsy later revealed that the poison had succeeded in killing him before birth, according to the report.
The Daily Mail reports more about what happened:
Her baby boy, later named Luke Clark, was found head-first down the toilet after she called paramedics to her home in November last year.
The judge [Justice Jay] told [Towers]: ‘Despite attempts made by the paramedics and hospital, the child could not be saved. Both paramedics were obviously distressed by what they saw.
‘I am satisfied the baby was already dead when delivered or placed in the toilet.
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‘This case has nothing to do with the general immorality or otherwise of termination of unborn fetuses.
‘The law is clear, you must have been aware, no doubt, in line with your internet searches, it was open to you to seek termination at any stage before 24 weeks.
‘At 24 weeks there is a fair chance of survival if born premature. Your child, at 32-34 weeks had a very good chance of survival but had no chance once you administered this drug.’
Towers said she suspected she was pregnant but did not tell anyone, not even her partner. She said she “could not deal with the stress.” Towers had a history of emotional and psychological problems, according to the report. Other news reports indicate Towers had at least one other child.
Investigators discovered that Towers had searched online for abortion drugs and then tried to delete her browsing history, apparently to hide it from the police, the report states.
She also searched for information about babies born at 24 weeks, according to the report. Abortion is legal up until 24 weeks gestation in the UK.
The Mirror reports that investigators also found packaging for 92 tablets at her home but just 13 whole or part pills remained. Towers reportedly took a “massive dose” of the abortion drug misoprostol to cause her unborn baby’s death.
Towers’ lawyer, Daniel Cordey, said she is “struggling to come to terms with what she has done.”
“She realized she must have been pregnant,” Cordey said. “What she submits is, she didn’t realize she was as far pregnant as 32-34 weeks. She is remorseful. She greatly regrets her actions.”
At 32-34 weeks, Towers’ baby boy would have had a very good chance of surviving outside the womb. A recent study indicated that babies born as early as 22 weeks can survive with proper medical treatment.
In the past few years, abortion advocates have been pushing dangerous do-it-yourself abortions on the internet.
Last year, a Pennsylvania mother faced jail time after purchasing an at-home abortion kit for her daughter that, when used, ultimately sent the teenage girl to the hospital.
Abortion practitioner Rebecca Gomperts also has received attention for sailing an abortion ship across the world to perform abortions illegally. Gomperts also sells dangerous illegal abortion drugs online.
