1985: Abortion by former back-alley butcher proves fatal for South Dakota teen

On July 27, 1985, 18-year-old Yvonne Corrie Mesteth became the second of two patients to die of infection after safe and legal abortions by South Dakota abortionist Benjamin Munson, member of the National Abortion Federation. (The other was Linda Padfield.)

Yvonne was in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The abortion was performed in Munson's office in Rapid City. Yvonne developed an infection, kidney failure, and finally the adult respiratory distress syndrome that was the final, fatal blow.



Munson is the third former criminal abortionist I've learned of who had a clean record -- no patient deaths -- as a criminal abortionist, only to go on to kill two patients in his legal practice. The others are Milan Vuitch (Georgianna English and Wilma Harris) and Jesse Ketchum (Margaret Smith and Carole Schaner).

For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:



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