April 27, 1990: Bled to Death in Front of Her Children

SUMMARY: Sandra Milton, age 28, bled to death in front of her three children on April 27, 1990 after an abortion performed by Carl Armstrong at Toledo Medical Services in Toledo, OH.

Sandra Milton

On April 27, 1990, 28-year-old divorcee Sandra Earle Milton underwent an abortion, performed by Dr. Carl Armstrong at Toledo Medical Services in Ohio. (Armstrong is John Roe 67 in Lime 5.) Neither her ex husband nor her parents had known that she was pregnant.

Sandra’s abortion was performed at 10 a.m., and she was discharged shortly thereafter for the 90-minute drive home to Sandusky.

The babysitter stayed with Sandra and her three children, ages 10, 7, and 5, for three hours as the young mother slipped in and out of consciousness and suffered pain and abdominal swelling. Twice the alarmed babysitter called the clinic, but was told that the symptoms were normal. The third time the babysitter called the clinic, she got no response at all, and summoned an ambulance. Sandra was pronounced dead on arrival at Fremont Memorial Hospital at 6:01 p.m..

Dr. Carl Armstrong

The medical examiner found a one-inch uterine perforation. Her abdomen was full of blood. She had bled to death internally.

Sandra, who came to the US from England with her family when she was a toddler, had graduated from Fremont Ross High School and worked at a factor assembling household appliances.

Sources:

• Ohio death certificate Registrar’s No. 158;
• Fremont News-Messenger 4/29/90;
• Columbia Dispatch 5/23/90
• Ohio Post-Mortem Examination Autopsy No. OA-90-8
• “Abortion debate shifting,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sept. 9, 1990