032474 ncr Two abortions bring investigations

MINNEAPOLIS - The Catholic Bulletin, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis broke the story. Two infants who survived abortions at the University of Minnesota Hospitals were left to die, the newspaper reported.

Now Gary Flakne, Hennepin County attorney, says that his office is investigating, said he is concerned about the incidents reported, said his office had not yet determined whether or not a crime had been committed.

In a copyrighted story, the Catholic Bulletin reported the deaths occurred last October 5 and 9. The Bulletin identified three participants who were present both times and a fourth participant present only the second time.

The abortions were of an experimental nature, using a procedure in which the unborn infant aborted a few hours after treatment. There were 84 rivanol abortions before the procedure was suspended, apparently because of a protest by nurses.

Reports were the infants born alive weighed nearly a pound and a half. Doctors saw the infants, gave them no care, it was reported. An hour or two later the babies died. Infants of the size these babies were reported to be frequently survive when placed in incubators and given special care.

County Attorney Flakne said that his investigators had talked with some 14 persons, were about 80 per cent finished with the investigation.

He told the Bulletin that there were "complex issues" but didn't elaborate. Asked if such questions involved whether the infants could have survived, he said, "It could be."

The Bulletin report brought a call for passage of a state law which would regulate the performance of abortions in Minnesota.

The measure, which would require efforts to save viable fetuses born during abortion operations, would define viability at four and a half months. The baby would also make a baby who is born alive during an abortion an automatic ward of the state if the parents did not want to keep it.

Jeri Rasmussen, a lobbyist for pro-abortion forces, called the Bulletin story and its timing "a political ploy" designed to ensure passage of the abortion regulation bill.

Representative John Salchert, the only medical doctor among the Minnesota legislature's 201 members, said the reported events are "repugnant to me." Such events, he said, are "the kind of thing that might spur meaningful regulation of abortion."