Indiana attorney general says he is investigating doctor who treated 10-year-old rape victim

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita explained he’s investigating the physician who dealt with a 10-yr-previous rape sufferer from Ohio.

In an job interview with Fox Information on Wednesday, Rokita, a Republican who’s touted his initiatives to overcome abortion legal rights, referred to Dr. Caitlin Bernard as an “abortion activist performing as a health practitioner” who has a “history of failing to report.”

“So we’re gathering the info, we are collecting the evidence as we speak, and we are likely to fight this to the conclude, like wanting at her licensure,” Rokita explained. He mentioned his office environment is also on the lookout into regardless of whether “she unsuccessful to report” the procedure in Indiana since “it can be a crime to not report, to deliberately not report.”

Rokita did not say whether or not there really had been any troubles with the doctor’s license, or if there was any sign she experienced not reported the situation.

Bernard’s legal professional, Kathleen DeLaney, introduced a assertion Thursday just after Rokita’s remarks.

“My customer, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, took every ideal and appropriate motion in accordance with the legislation and each her healthcare and moral instruction as a medical professional. She followed all suitable insurance policies, processes, and rules in this circumstance, just as she does just about every working day to provide the very best doable treatment for her patients,” DeLaney mentioned in a statement.

“She has not violated any regulation, such as affected person privacy guidelines, and she has not been disciplined by her employer. We are taking into consideration authorized motion from individuals who have smeared my shopper, together with Indiana Lawyer Normal Todd Rokita, and know that the specifics will all come out in owing time,” DeLaney included.

Bernard’s employer, Indiana College Overall health, declined to remark on Rokita’s statements.

Bernard designed global headlines previously this month after she told The Indianapolis Star that she’d experienced to treat a 10-year-old rape target for the reason that the girl could not be handled in her indigenous Ohio thanks to the state’s “fetal heartbeat” regulation. The legislation, which was enacted several hours soon after the U.S. Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade very last month, outlaws abortions at around the sixth week of being pregnant, with no exceptions for situations involving rape or incest. The woman was just around 6 weeks pregnant, Bernard reported.

Various Republican officials and appropriate-wing information retailers prompt that Bernard had made up the tale immediately after President Joe Biden spoke out about the case. “Ten a long time outdated, raped, 6 weeks pregnant, currently traumatized, was compelled to travel to a further state,” Biden explained previous 7 days. “Visualize being that minor lady.”

On Wednesday, The Columbus Dispatch reported there had been an arrest built in the scenario. Gershon Fuentes, 27, confessed to raping the kid, according to paperwork filed in Franklin County, Ohio, Municipal Court. He has been billed with the rape of a minor and faces up to a existence sentence and deportation. Bond was established at $2 million, and an initial listening to is scheduled for future week.

Columbus police discovered of the girl’s being pregnant by a referral by child expert services that was made by the girl’s mother June 22, a detective testified at a listening to in the scenario Wednesday early morning, in accordance to the Dispatch.

The paper documented that Fuentes is not considered to be in the place lawfully, but has been in the United States for at minimum seven years.

Rokita advised Fox the case “is an unlawful immigration situation for the reason that probable of Biden’s lawlessness at the border and anything going on down there,” even with Fuentes reportedly getting been in the country lengthy before Biden even grew to become president.

“This is a terrible, horrible scene caused by Marxists and socialists and those in the White Property who want lawlessness at the border,” he continued.

“And then this girl was politicized, politicized for the attain of killing a lot more toddlers, all appropriate? That was the aim,” he explained. “And this abortion activist is out there front and middle.”