Topline
A Nebraska mother who helped her teenage daughter obtain abortion pills to end her pregnancy and later disposed of the fetus’ remains was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday, according to multiple reports, after breaking a state law that banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Jessica Burgess, who helped her teenage daughter obtain abortion pills to end her pregnancy, was … [+] sentenced to two years in prison.
Key Facts
Jessica Burgess admitted to helping her then 17-year-old obtain an abortion after 20 weeks of gestation, as well as false reporting and tampering with human skeletal remains.
In a plea agreement in which she admitted to those charges, Burgess had two other charges dismissed: concealing the death of another person and abortion by someone other than a licensed physician, the Guardian reported.
Key Background
Celeste and Jessica Burgess collaborated to end Celeste Burgess’ pregnancy in April 2022. Celeste Burgess gave birth to a stillborn fetus and she and her mother buried the remains together on the family’s property, police said, adding that there may have been an attempt to also burn the remains. Police said that while executing a search warrant they discovered evidence of internet searches related to medications “which could be used for the purpose of causing a miscarriage,” or abortion pills. Officers also said they found messages discussing the use of that medication after obtaining Facebook messages from Meta.
Tangent
Court records indicate Celeste Burgess was nearly 30 weeks pregnant when she terminated the pregnancy, the New York Times reported, weeks past when Nebraska law said, at the time, it was legal to obtain an abortion. Since then, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen has signed a 12-week abortion ban into law. The case has made headlines as it shows how law enforcement may prosecute people who end their own pregnancies in the era after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Further Reading
US Mother Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Giving Daughter Abortion Pills (The Guardian)
