“The heart of the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act is quite simple: no helpless newborn child should be left alone to die,” says Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life. “It is our sincere hope that shared human decency will compel legislators at the Ohio Statehouse to come together to protect innocent, born babies desperate for a chance to live.”

Cases of babies who have survived botched abortions have been documented across the U.S. A notable case occurred in Florida in 2006 when an infant born alive at 23 weeks after a botched abortion was put into a plastic bag and thrown into the trash. Her body was found a week later.

“For decades the pro-abortion industry has hidden behind the cloak of medical terminology in an attempt to dehumanize an unborn child,” said Senator Terry Johnson. “Let’s be perfectly clear: a baby human being born alive can no longer be termed a ‘tissue mass’ or even a fetus. It is an infant, and it must by any standard of human decency be treated as such. How any group, organization or individual can turn a cold eye to these precious little ones is beyond me.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study in 2018 showing that 588 babies were born alive after induced abortions nationally between 2003-2014. The study detailed how long the infants lived in minutes, hours, and even days.

“I am incredibly proud to introduce the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act in the Ohio Senate,” said Senator Steve Huffman. “S.B. 157 is a vital, common sense protection which could mean life or death for abortion survivors in Ohio. It is deeply inhumane and unethical to leave these babies who have survived failed abortions alone to die and without appropriate medical care. It’s time we ensure that no baby is left for dead because of the circumstances of their birth.”

Ohio Right to Life will work closely with Senator Terry Johnson and Senator Steve Huffman to ensure this legislation is passed.

To learn more about the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, click here.

Founded in 1967, Ohio Right to Life, with more than 45 chapters and local affiliates, is Ohio’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement in Ohio, ORTL works through legislation and education to promote and defend innocent human life from conception to natural death.

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