An Indiana doctor was visibly emotional as she was handed a $3,000 fine and a letter of reprimand Thursday night for going public after providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled out of state from neighboring Ohio.
After an arduous, 14-hour meeting, the Indiana State Medical Licensing Board found that Dr. Caitlin Bernard violated patient privacy under HIPAA and state law in telling the girl’s story to the Indianapolis Star, sparking global headlines, an impassioned speech from President Joe Biden, and a national debate weeks after the the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Hours after the Supreme Court ruling on June 24, 2022, an Ohio law that prohibited abortions after six weeks of pregnancy went into immediate effect. At the time, the girl was six weeks and three days pregnant. A 27-year-old Guatemalan man was subsequently charged with her rape in Columbus, Ohio.