A 19 Year Old Woman was Arrested in Copán after Having an Abortion
The Honduran woman, whose identity has not been revealed, was admitted to the hospital with complications resulting from the alleged ingestion of abortion pills.
A 19-year-old woman was arrested in flagrante delicto by Honduran authorities for allegedly committing an abortion after being admitted to the Hospital de Occidente in Santa Rosa de Copán , western Honduras.
According to the police report, the Honduran woman, whose identity was not revealed, was admitted with complications resulting from the alleged ingestion of abortion pills.
The fetus, approximately 23 weeks pregnant, was found dead, official sources confirmed.
The arrest was carried out by members of the Departmental Police Unit (UDEP-04), in coordination with the Police Investigations Directorate (DPI) and health sector authorities, who acted after receiving alerts from the hospital located in the El Calvario neighborhood of the aforementioned municipality.
According to the preliminary report, the young woman, originally from San Pedro Sula and residing in the Suyapa neighborhood of La Entrada, Nueva Arcadia, Copán, had allegedly ingested medication to induce an abortion the previous night (Sunday), which caused medical complications that required her urgent transfer to a health center.
It was during the medical care that hospital staff identified signs of an induced abortion and proceeded to notify the appropriate authorities.
The fetus’s body was subsequently removed, and following the ruling of the on-duty prosecutor, the young woman’s immediate arrest was ordered.
To date, the young woman remains in police custody while her legal status is determined. The Police Investigation Directorate reiterated that these cases are being investigated rigorously and in accordance with current legal procedures in the country.
Sentence for abortion in Honduras
According to Article 196 of the Honduran Penal Code: “Abortion is the death of a human being at any time during pregnancy or childbirth.”
The penalties for this crime are:
- 1) With three (3) to six (6) years of prison if the woman has consented to it or produces her abortion;
- 2) With six (6) to eight (8) years of imprisonment if the agent acts without the consent of the pregnant woman and without using violence or intimidation; and,
- 3) With eight (8) to ten (10) years in prison if the agent uses violence, intimidation or deception.
