Abortion Clinic Co-owner Jailed on Felony Counts
Belkis Gonzalez Faces Criminal Charges Related to Infant Death
Mar 4, 2009
CNN reports that Hileah, Florida abortion clinic co-owner Belkis Gonzalez is now facing criminal charges after putting a live newborn in a biohazard bag and throwing her out with the trash. Gonzalez was arrested on Tuesday and jailed on two felony counts related to the death of infant Shanice Osbourne.
Already serving five years' probation after conviction of unlicensed medical practice for 2004 violations, Gonzalez co-owned A GYN Diagnostic Center, now closed, where a failed abortion became a live birth. She is not accused of violating her probation.
According to the warrant, Gonzalez was charged with the unlicensed practice of a health care profession resulting in serious bodily injury, a second degree felony, and with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a third degree felony.
Gonzalez was said to have cut the umbilical cord, placed the infant in a biohazard bag containing bleach solution and thrown it away even though she was breathing, according to World Net Daily. Later, Gonzalez stashed the baby's body on the abortion clinic roof to hide it from authorities, said an anonymous caller. If convicted of the charges, Gonzalez faces a minimum of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Mother Sues Clinic, Staff and Doctor
Spokesman for the Miami state attorney’s office, Ed Griffith, said more serious charges could not be filed because they are unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child was born alive. Sued last month by the child’s mother, Sycloria Williams, were the clinic, staff and doctor, Pierre Jean-Jaques Renelique. Renelique’s license had already been revoked by The Florida Medical Board.
Renelique was not on the premises during the birth, but the medical board upheld Department of Health allegations that “he falsified medical records, inappropriately delegated tasks to unlicensed personnel and committed malpractice,” according to CNN.
Abortion Becomes Live Birth to Mother's Horror
Sycloria Williams discovered her pregnancy when abdominal pain and bleeding sent her to the hospital. Williams was referred to Dr. Pierre Jean-Jacques Renelique, who administered medication and instructed her to return the next day. On arrival, Williams was given medication and told to wait for Renelique, then told to lie down in a patient room where she was left alone for hours before giving birth to a baby girl. CNN reported that Williams observed the infant moving and making noises for approximately five minutes, according to an affidavit in support of Gonzalez's arrest warrant. It was then that Gonzalez allegedly murdered the infant.
Examiners' Findings or Lack, Thereof, Conflict
An affidavit from local police contained a conflicting report from a medical examiner who was unable to say that the infant was born alive. The examiner was neither able to disprove the mother’s claim that the child had been born alive and was moving for several minutes even though an earlier report by the Miami-Dade County medical examiner proved the infant was born alive based on the findings that her lungs had been filled with air. A birth certificate for the infant had been issued.
Police were informed by a neonatal/perinatal expert that the infant had reached the gestational age of about 21 and a half weeks, based on Williams’ medical data, which meant that she was not viable, or able to live outside of the womb. The affidavit stated "This expert ... explained that the standard of care for a premature infant delivered at less than 23 weeks is not to attempt resuscitation," so no measures would have been taken to save the infant even if born in a hospital.
Operation Rescue president Tory Newman, who obtained a copy of the warrant for Gonzalez's arrest told LifeNews.com that Gonzalez is held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami on a $50,000 bond.
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