A Louisiana man has been arrested after authorities accused him of secretly giving his pregnant teenage daughter abortion-inducing drugs, causing her to go into labor and deliver a premature baby who remains hospitalized.
Jamelle Kelly, 39, of Carencro, allegedly gave the abortion drugs to his 17-year-old daughter without her knowledge or consent, according to local authorities. The teen was later hospitalized and delivered a baby at 23 weeks into her pregnancy.
As of last Friday, the infant, who weighed about 1 pound at birth, remained alive and hospitalized, according to KATC News. Kelly is facing felony charges of attempted first-degree feticide and domestic abuse/battery of a pregnant victim.
According to KADN News, bond had not been set as of last week. Carencro Police Chief David Anderson told local media that the investigation began last month and remains ongoing.
SBA Pro-Life America, a prominent anti-abortion group, highlighted the case on social media, noting that the abortion drugs were allegedly administered “a full 3 months beyond the FDA-approved gestational age for these drugs.”
“How many more women and unborn babies will be harmed by these dangerous drugs?” the pro-life group tweeted, labeling Kelly a “Kill Pill Predator” for his alleged actions.
The Louisiana case follows a similar prosecution in Texas.
Last month, a grand jury indicted Jon Rueben Demeter, 25, of Montgomery County, Texas, for allegedly giving a pregnant woman an abortion-inducing drug without her knowledge or consent, resulting in the death of her unborn baby.
Montgomery County District Attorney Mike Holley said in a statement that the case “represents allegations of deliberate deception that resulted in devastating consequences.”
“The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue justice based on the facts, the evidence, and the laws of the State of Texas,” Holley stated.
“We are grateful for the extensive investigative work conducted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the careful review performed throughout the grand jury process.”
The incidents in Louisiana and Texas come as litigation continues over whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can allow abortion pills to be distributed by mail, especially to states with abortion restrictions.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court opted to pause a decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that had prohibited the mailing of pills like mifepristone to Louisiana.
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