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Family blames Texas' "merciless" abortion ban for woman's death, files lawsuit targeting Paxton, doctors
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- The family of Tierra Walker, who died from preeclampsia at 37 while 20 weeks pregnant, has filed a lawsuit in Texas alleging she was denied a life-saving abortion due to the state's near-total abortion ban and medical neglect.
- The lawsuit accuses Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the University of Texas Health Science Center, and several doctors of deliberate indifference, discrimination, and medical mistreatment that led to Walker's death.
- Despite repeated requests for an abortion and documented high risk of death, Walker was not offered the procedure, with hospital staff reportedly prioritizing the fetus's health over hers amid a culture of fear around abortion in Texas.
- Texas' strict abortion laws, enacted after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, include exceptions for life-threatening pregnancies but have caused confusion and fear among medical providers, impacting patient care.
- Walker's death highlights ongoing legal and ethical conflicts in Texas over abortion access, with her family seeking accountability from state officials, including Paxton, who is running for the U.S. Senate.
