Monday, August 03, 2009

1991: NAF facility, dead patient

The following information is from a suite filed by the survivors of 21-year-old Dawn Marie Mack.

Dawn had an abortion performed at National Abortion Federation member facility Eastern Women's Center on August 2, 1991. She was attended at Eastern by Orrin Moore, Aurel Calalb, Elena Raftopol, Adel Abadir, Linda Wissbrun and/or Reena Rang. While at Eastern, Dawn went into cardiorespiratory arrest.

The suit said that Easterns staff failed to adequately respond to "the precipitous drop in Plaintiff's blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia leading to cardiac arrest and cessation of respiration."

Dawn was transported to a hospital by ambulance, where staff tried to resuscitate Dawn to no avail. She died August 3.

The suit contended that the following shortcomings at Eastern caused Dawn's death:

  • carelessness in hiring staff
  • negligent supervising of staff
  • lack of emergency protocol and staff skilled in treating emergencies
  • lack of adequate equipment
  • failure to maintain equipment appropriately
  • failure to administer timely and properly dosed medications
  • failure to convey to Dawn the risks of anesthesia
  • failure to adequately evaluate Dawn's condition via exam and medical history prior to anesthesia
  • failure to allow sufficient time to administer anesthesia and perform the abortion in a safe and careful manner
  • inadequate staff training
  • failure to adequately monitor anesthesia
  • failure to accurately chart and record observations and responses
  • failure to anticipate potential complications

    The suit further contended that "no reasonable person would have undergone the procedures which were performed upon the decedent plaintiff if the level of skills and ability of staff and other medical personnel, together with the amount, kind and condition of equipment on the premises had been disclosed to decedent plaintiff."

    Two other abortion patients, Venus Ortiz and Dawn Ravenelle were fatally injured at Eastern Women's Center.

    For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:



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