ATLANTA — The family of a Georgia mother who died after seeking abortion care shortly after Georgia's heartbeat bill went into effect issued a statement following the Vice Presidential Debate on Tuesday night.
Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy, died in 2022. According to the ProPublica report, it was officially deemed preventable by a state committee due to a delay in care for a rare complication that occurred when she took abortion pills.
In a statement, Thurman's family said she had suffered a "rare complication" after taking abortion medication and sought a routine dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure at Piedmont Henry Hospital.
"However, due to Georgia’s stringent legislation criminalizing the procedure in most cases, her doctors delayed treatment for hours, waiting for Amber’s condition to worsen to justify the procedure," the statement read. "Tragically, by the time they acted, it was too late to save her life."
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After the debate on Tuesday night, Thuman's family issued the following statement:
Tonight, we commend Governor Tim Walz for telling Amber’s story and for his unwavering commitment to defending women’s reproductive rights. Amber’s tragic death was a direct result of Georgia's archaic and dangerously restrictive abortion laws, which denied her the life-saving care she so desperately needed.
We strongly condemn the republican platform that seeks to further restrict women’s access to necessary healthcare under the false guise of protection. We are grieving an unimaginable loss that no family should have to endure. We must continue to fight against laws that put women’s lives at risk, and we are grateful to leaders like Governor Walz who advocate for common sense laws while exhibiting such compassion.
The fight for justice for Amber is a fight for every woman’s right to make decisions about her own body and access the medical care she needs. We will not stop until these dangerous laws are repealed, and no more lives are lost. Until then, we must keep saying her name: Amber Thurman!
On Tuesday, Thurman's family also announced they are filing a lawsuit against the hospital where she attempted to receive care.
"If a woman's life is in jeopardy and you receive federal assistance at that hospital facility... then you have a duty to save her life," the family's attorney, Ben Crump, said.