Many people assume that a woman’s right to choose outweighs all else. In the pro-life movement, we believe an unborn child’s right to life should take precedence. At the same time, we recognize that some women are coerced into abortions—sometimes with deadly consequences if they refuse.
Tragically, homicide is the leading cause of death among pregnant women. Recent cases underscore the dangers mothers and their unborn children face:
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Kaylin Fiengo, 18, was shot in the head at a park in Sanford, Florida, in November 2022. The father of her unborn child, Donovan Faison, was convicted of first-degree murder and killing an unborn child. He reportedly wanted her to have an abortion because he was living with another pregnant woman. He faces the death penalty when sentenced on December 5.
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Raquiah King, 20, was found dead in a ditch in Hanover County, Virginia, in July 2022. Her boyfriend, Navy Lt. Emmanuel Coble, had paid for an abortion, but she refused. Coble is serving two life sentences for first-degree murder and killing a fetus.
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Jameisha Wilkes, 33, was shot at an apartment complex in Charlotte, North Carolina, in November 2024. Her boyfriend, Dasean Maddox, is serving 25 years for second-degree murder and murder of an unborn child.
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Hailey Privett, 33, who was pregnant with twins, was stabbed to death by her fiancé, Ernie Victor Solis, in June. He faces life in prison without parole.
In these cases, murder was not the only “option.” Chemical abortion—already widely used for years—could have ended the pregnancy. For many women, however, the choice is not voluntary.
Since April 2021, under President Joe Biden, prescriptions for abortion pills no longer require in-person visits. Initially a temporary Covid-era measure, this policy became permanent by December 2021. By 2023, major pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens began offering the drugs nationwide.
Today, abortion pills can even be ordered online and shipped to states where abortion is restricted. Unfortunately, this accessibility has sometimes led to criminal misuse. Recent cases illustrate the danger:
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Justin Banta, a Justice Department IT worker in Texas, allegedly added mifepristone to cookies for his pregnant girlfriend after she refused an abortion. He was charged with capital murder, and the mother filed a wrongful death suit against European supplier Aid Access.
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Mason Herring, a Houston attorney, tried multiple times to force his separated wife to take abortion pills; their daughter survived but suffers developmental delays. Herring pleaded guilty and received 180 days in jail.
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David Coots, a nurse in Washington, forced abortion pills on his partner during sex; the baby survived. Dr. Hassan-James Abbas, in Toledo, forced pills into a pregnant woman’s mouth; the baby died, his license was suspended, but he faced no criminal charges.
These examples are only what we know about—many cases likely go undetected.
Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the FDA has pledged a thorough review of mifepristone. Meanwhile, 175 House Republicans and 51 senators are calling for a “robust” investigation into mail-order abortion pills and a return to in-person dispensing. Three states—Kansas, Missouri, and Idaho—have filed a federal lawsuit seeking the same. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is suing Planned Parenthood for claiming mifepristone is “safer than Tylenol.” Since FDA approval, 36 women are known to have died from chemical abortions, and the broader harms remain largely unreported.
Legal abortion has, in some cases, created a sense of entitlement among men—sometimes with deadly results for women and their unborn children. Chemical abortion has intensified the risks, with women reporting severe pain, prolonged bleeding, and traumatic experiences of losing their babies.
It is past time for a comprehensive, non-partisan review of chemical abortion and its impact on women and children. The risks are real, and the consequences cannot be ignored.