Family sues Texas officials, hospital over death of pregnant woman linked to abortion ban
The relatives of a Texas woman who died from pre-eclampsia have filed a lawsuit alleging that the state's near-total abortion ban prevented doctors from terminating her pregnancy, which they say would have saved her life.
A Texas family has filed a lawsuit in San Antonio accusing state Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Texas Medical Board, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and several physicians of contributing to the death of Tierra Walker, who died in December after seeking an abortion for a life-threatening pregnancy complication. The complaint says Walker, who was 20 weeks pregnant, presented to University Health with symptoms of pre-eclampsia and repeatedly asked for termination, but doctors sent her home despite the medical emergency.
The suit argues that Texas law, which bans most abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detectable, left no legal avenue for a procedure that could have saved Walker’s life. Under the law, a physician may perform an abortion only when the mother’s life is in danger, but the plaintiffs contend that the doctors failed to act on that exception.
"For months, Ms. Walker had been asking for termination of her pregnancy — even though this was a wanted pregnancy — because she did not think she would survive the pregnancy. Tragically, she was right," the filing states.
"An abortion at any point during her pregnancy would have saved her life."
A spokesperson for University Health said the hospital could not comment on the specific case but emphasized that clinicians base decisions on clinical condition, medical standards and legal requirements, and that patient-care concerns are reviewed through internal processes. The Texas Medical Board and Paxton’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Walker’s family, represented by attorneys linked to the advocacy group Abortion in America and the Marynell Maloney Law Firm, also alleges that doctors reassured her that "your baby is fine" while the ban created a climate of fear among medical providers. Walker leaves a husband and teenage son.
"Tierra, she would have changed the world. And she’s changing it now," her aunt Latanya Walker said at a press conference.