December 16, 1998: A Lingering Death

Venus Ortiz

Venus Ortiz, was 23 years old when she went for a safe, legal abortion at National Abortion Federation member Eastern Women's Center in New York on February 24, 1993. Evidence indicated that the abortion of Venus' approximately 15-week pregnancy was performed by Dr. Leiber. Due to negligence in administering anesthesia to Venus, she went into cardio-respiratory arrest. Staff failed to notice and treat the arrest promptly and properly. 

Venus was left in permanent need of respirator, with profound brain damage. She remained in a coma/vegetative state until her death five years later in a Staten Island nursing home on December 16, 1998 at the age of 29. 

Two other patients, Dawn Ravenelle and Dawn Mack, also died of complications of abortions done at Eastern Women's Center. 

Other women who suffered severe brain injuries and died years later from those abortion complications include:

• Suzanne Logan, who languished, mute and paralyzed, for three years until her death on December 1, 1992
• Shelby Moran, who was cared for in a nursing home for over 20 years until her death on September 16, 1999
• "Gabriella Alonso," who spent six years in a coma until her death in the summer of 2002
• Christi Stile, who spent nearly 22 years in a vegetative state until her death on March 29, 2015

Watch "Safe Abortion, Lingering Death" on YouTube.