Anniversary: Woman dies, abortion slips body through the morgue without an autopsy

On December 16, 1984, Mary Pena died from an abortion performed the previous day at at San Vincente Hospital in Los Angeles. Mary had thought that she was 3 months pregnant, but doctors discovered she was at 22-weeks. During the procedure, performed by either Edward Allred or Ruben Marmet, Mary was bleeding heavily, so a hysterectomy was performed in an effort to save her life. The surgery was not successful, and at 1:50 am on December 16, 1984, she died while on the operating table.

Mary was 43 years old and the mother of five.

The Investigator's Report states "Dr. Allred cleared the case with Coroner and body was released to the family picked mortuary ... and services held. When the death certificate was taken to Kern County Health Department they refused to accept it and called the case to Los Angeles Coroner. ... Mortuary in Bakersfield will bring body to this office for autopsy on morning of 12-20-84."

Only then was cause of death attributed to exsanguination due to cervical laceration due to therapeutic abortion. The cervix showed two lacerations - a small one that had been sutured and a large unsutured one extending through the full ring of the cervix. Once a cause for the fatal hemorrhage was determined, the death certificate was accepted, and Mary was laid to rest again.

San Vicente had been purchased by National Abortion Federation member Familiy Practice Associates Medical Group shortly before Mary's death. Sara Lint and Natalie Meyers had already died from abortions performed there. And after Mary's death, Joyce Ortenzio died.



Nevertheless, under the umbrella of FPA, San Vincente remained a NAF member.

For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:



To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.