According to an article in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 16-year-old girl underwent a second-trimester saline abortion on August 26, 1969. The article on her death identifies her as "F.S."
F.S. developed an infection and symptoms of meningitis after her abortion. She continued to be treated for ten days before she was transferred to another hospital in San Francisco for further treatment.
Doctors performed two heart valve replacements for F.S, and had scheduled her for yet another before she died on March 6, 1970. The cause of death was severe congestive heart failure and pneumonia.
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| Francesca Sardina |
News coverage of the lawsuit filed by Francesca's parents, she was only 14 years old, but other public records confirm that Francesca was 16 at the time of the abortion and turn 17 while languishing in the hospital.
The Contra Costa Times said that Francesca was admitted to Contra Costa County Hospital on August 5 rather than August 26. The discrepancy might be because Francesca was admitted to the hospital on August 5 and the decision to perform an abortion was made later. The Richmond, California Independent says that the abortion had been performed on August 8.
Regardless of the dates, while Francesca was still fighting for her life, her father had originally filed a personal injury suit for $320,000. After his daughter perished, Manuel upgraded the suit to a wrongful death suit for $720,000.
I've been unable to determine the outcome of the lawsuit.
Sources:
- "County Hospital Named In Claim," (Martinez, CA) News-Gazette, November 7, 1969
- "$720,000 Suit Against County," (Richmond, CA) Independent, January 9, 1970
- "Girl Dies; Abortion Claim Filed," Contra Costa (CA) Times, April 17, 1979
- "Medical and Surgical Complications of Therapeutic Abortions," Stewart, Goldstein, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 40:4, October 1972, 547
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