The recent ban of abortions in Texas has resulted in a domino effect of consequences for women impacted by the controversial decision. Texas resident Lizelle Herrera, 26, was arrested on Thursday, April 7, 2021, and indicted on a murder charge alleging that she committed a self-induced abortion knowingly causing the death of an individual, according to the Starr County Sheriff’s Office.
Specific details surrounding Herrerra’s pregnancy have yet to be released. At the time of press, Herrera was being held on a $500,000 bond at the Starr County Jail in Rio Grande City. An abortion funding organization based in Texas called La Frontera Fund has come to Herrera’s defense, launching a small protest where Herrera was being held on Saturday, April 9.
“This arrest is inhumane. We are demanding the immediate release of Lizelle Herrera,” said Rockie Gonzalez, who is the founder and board chair of Frontera Fund. “What is alleged is that she was in the hospital and had a miscarriage and divulged some information to hospital staff, who then reported her to the police.”
Gonzalez continued, “This is a developing story and we don’t yet know all the details surrounding this tragic event, what we do know is that criminalizing pregnant people’s choices or pregnancy outcomes, which the state of Texas has done, takes away people’s autonomy over their own bodies, and leaves them with no safe options when they choose not to become a parent.”
The state of Texas passed the Texas Heartbeat Act, prohibiting abortions or the termination of pregnancies that detect an unborn child’s heartbeat as early as six weeks. The Act also permits private citizens the right to file a civil lawsuit against those who perform abortion procedures.
Since the law went into effect on Sept. 1, 2021, many Texans seeking abortions have been coerced into finding alternatives, such as self-induced abortions, traveling to neighboring states, or ordering abortion pills via mail. Critics of the law argue that nowhere does it state that a woman could be charged for a self-induced abortion, but mostly focuses on the medical providers who oversee abortions.
Herrerra’s case is still being investigated.
