88:. After becoming pregnant, Bell inquired about a legal abortion but was hindered by Indiana state laws which required either her parents' consent or a waiver from a judge. Instead, Bell either obtained an illegal abortion or attempted to self-abort, leading to a fatal infection. The coroner said that Bell died of sepsis as a consequence of an unsterile abortion. Following Bell's death, her parents became advocates for the repeal of parental consent laws.
562:(Bell) was too ashamed or too anxious about causing disappointment to turn to her parents for help in ending a pregnancy. Her death, the result of a botched illegal termination, possibly self-induced, devastated her family and friends and set Bill and Karen Bell on a journey across America to argue against laws requiring minors to gain parental consent before terminating a pregnancy.
174:
In response to the Bells' lobbying efforts, anti-abortion groups argued that the autopsy showed no signs of trauma or infection in the cervix or uterus (signs of induced abortion) and claimed that Bell most likely died of pneumonia which led to an incomplete miscarriage. In coverage of this debate on
657:
The parents of a young woman who died from a back-alley abortion are joining forces with a national women's rights group to overturn state laws requiring minors to get parental consent for abortions... The Bells' 17-year-old daughter, Becky, died in 1988 from a massive infection after receiving
541:
Before 17-year-old Becky Bell died from an illegal abortion, her parents led an unconcerned, apolitical existence in a middle-class suburb of
Indianapolis... The coroner has said he believes that Becky or someone else induced an abortion with an unsterilized instrument—something like a knitting
111:
On a
Saturday night in September 1988, Bell left her house, telling her parents that she was going to a party. Her illness worsened over the next few days but she would not seek medical attention. Her parents ultimately forced her to see their family physician, who diagnosed severe
104:, approximately 100 miles away, to avoid parental disclosure. She also had the option of going before a judge to argue for a waiver of parental consent, but reportedly feared that her parents would find out. Bell reportedly considered having an
875:
413:
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Karen Bell's 17-year-old daughter Becky got an illegal abortion in 1988 and later died. Their home state of
Indiana made girls get their parents' permission before they could have a safe abortion, Bell said during a Statehouse press
582:(Bell) never gave her parents cause to worry except when she turned cartwheels down the street to raise money for the humane society. But at 17, the tall, slender, blond girl died in 1988 after a botched illegal abortion.
167:, which credited them with helping to turn public opinion against a parental notification law in Oregon. The Bells worked against proposed parental notification laws in Colorado in 1998. In 2006 they testified before the
356:
638:
They (the Bells) did not know that there was any such thing as a parental consent law. But there is such a law in
Indiana, where the Bells live and where their daughter Becky, 17, died after an illegal
201:
found that at least one expert cited by Willke had in fact not reviewed the autopsy and did not feel qualified to comment on it. Willke's opinion was disputed on the program by John Pless, a
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According to Dr. Dennis J. Nicholas, the coroner here in Marion County, Becky Bell was killed by pneumonia brought on by the use of unsterile instruments during an illegal abortion.
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Following Bell's death, her parents, Bill and Karen Bell, campaigned against parental consent laws, which they blamed for their daughter's death. The Bells worked with the
100:
clinic in
Indiana seeking an abortion. There she was told that state law required consent from her parents for the procedure and that most minors in her area traveled to
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in nearby
Kentucky, which did not have parental consent laws, but there was no record of her visiting a Kentucky clinic. It remains unclear whether Bell obtained an
833:
669:
Frolik, Joe (September 9, 1990). "Abortion debate shifting: Individuals become symbols in dispute." The Plain Dealer (Plain Dealer
Publishing Co). p. 1-A, 14-A.
197:, maintained that Bell had a "normal miscarriage" rather than an induced abortion. Willke claimed support for his view from independent experts, although
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characterized the anti-abortion movement's response as an attack on "the Bells' motives and the character of their dead daughter". In the
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instruments during an illegal abortion procedure. After Bell's death, her parents found among Bell's possessions contact information for
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448:
512:
Kelly, Morgan (January 20, 2006). "'THESE LAWS KILL': Notification rule drives girls to back alleys, pro-choice activist says".
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On Sept. 16, 1988, Becky Bell died of what the Marion County coroner ruled was infection following an abortion and of pneumonia.
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Becky was a vivacious, blue-eyed, blonde when she died of an infection after self-aborting in
September 1988.
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associated with Bell's autopsy, who affirmed his finding that she most likely had an illegal abortion.
615:
84:(August 24, 1971 – September 16, 1988) was an American teenage girl who died of complications from a
576:
574:
Chiang, Harriet (January 22, 1996). "Indiana Dad in S.F. to Tell How
Abortion Law Led to Death".
143:
both later told the press that the abortion and infection were most likely caused by the use of
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and the liner notes state that the proceeds of the album went to supporting the Becky Bell/
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436:
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Derringer, Alan (July 19, 1992). "Teen's death propels parents into abortion battle".
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254:
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108:, carrying to term and placing the baby for adoption, or running away to California.
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Abbot, Karen (October 29, 1998). "Foes of
Notification Enlist Grim, Dirty Images".
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based on Bell's death, which was entitled "Public Law 106: The Becky Bell Story".
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437:"Hodgson v. Minnesota: Chipping away at Roe v. Wade in the Aftermath of Webster"
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and had her hospitalized. She died on September 16, 1988, at 17 years old.
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Beach, Mark (September 29, 1991). "Daughter's death leads to an odyssey".
265:
and federal funding restrictions that are forcing young women to turn to
224:
140:
897:
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Becky Bell died from an illegal abortion in 1988 in Indianapolis, Ind.
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James, Rich (June 27, 1990). "New Ruling Rekindles Abortion Debate".
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246:
113:
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Lifestories: Families in Crisis Public Law 106: The Becky Bell Story
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349:"Abortion debate shifting: Individuals become symbols in dispute"
144:
120:
128:
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Bill and Karen Bell story at the National Abortion Federation
479:(revised ed.). W. W. Norton & Company. p. 202.
214:
793:"Parental Consent to Abortion: How Enforcement Can Vary"
554:
Dettmer, Jamie (May 5, 1992). "Abortion's combat zone".
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Bell discovered she was pregnant in 1988. She went to a
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revealed fetal matter and evidence of infection in her
127:, but no evidence of internal injury or marks on the
253:. The album was put together by the activist group
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403:
655:. Associated Press. August 3, 1990. p. A17.
171:in opposition to a pending parental consent law.
938:
193:, a retired physician and then-president of the
131:. The official cause of death was attributed to
651:"Parents of Teen Who Died Fight Consent Laws".
824:"In Debate on Abortion, 2 Girls Make It Real"
658:an abortion from an unqualified practitioner.
861:"When parental involvement laws go wrong"
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977:Deaths from sepsis in the United States
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701:from the original on April 19, 2014
493:from the original on April 20, 2016
13:
803:from the original on March 5, 2016
758:Brotman, Barbara (April 8, 1990).
663:
614:Carlson, Margaret (July 9, 1990).
374:
311:Brotman, Barbara (April 8, 1990).
14:
988:
918:
836:from the original on May 27, 2019
822:Lewin, Tamar (October 27, 1991).
772:from the original on May 21, 2014
405:"Abortion's combat zone; Parents"
347:Frolik, Joe (September 9, 1990).
325:from the original on May 21, 2014
169:Michigan House of Representatives
155:or induced the abortion herself.
878:from the original on May 6, 2022
476:Abortion: The Clash of Absolutes
416:from the original on May 6, 2022
195:National Right to Life Committee
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220:Lifestories: Families in Crisis
760:"Abortion Law Blamed In Death"
567:
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402:Dettmer, Jamie (May 5, 1992).
340:
313:"Abortion Law Blamed In Death"
238:Spirit of '73: Rock For Choice
135:complicated by pneumonia. The
1:
972:Abortion in the United States
911:. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
791:Lewin, Tamar (May 28, 1992).
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279:Abortion in the United States
91:
962:Accidental deaths in Indiana
165:Feminist Majority Foundation
7:
903:September 29, 2019, at the
272:
208:
10:
993:
616:"Abortion's Hardest Cases"
231:portrayed Karen Bell and
61:
49:
30:
23:
947:People from Indianapolis
542:needle or piece of wire.
577:San Francisco Chronicle
435:Hewitt, Selina (1991).
930:June 18, 2019, at the
727:. Denver. p. 11A.
227:portrayed Becky Bell,
697:. February 24, 1991.
441:Pepperdine Law Review
355:. p. 1-A, 14-A.
235:portrayed Bill Bell.
159:Parental consent laws
16:American teenage girl
267:back-alley abortions
217:aired an episode of
213:On August 15, 1992,
203:forensic pathologist
106:abortion in Kentucky
35:Rebecca Suzanne Bell
725:Rocky Mountain News
536:Dallas Morning News
62:Cause of death
829:The New York Times
515:Charleston Gazette
261:Campaign "to lift
98:Planned Parenthood
53:September 16, 1988
858:(May–June 2006).
600:. Lancaster, PA.
486:978-0-393-30956-0
255:Feminist Majority
243:compilation album
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133:septic abortion
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74:Rebecca Suzanne
66:Septic abortion
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45:August 24, 1971
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838:. Retrieved
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495:. Retrieved
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453:. Retrieved
447:(4): 955–6.
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263:consent laws
251:Epic Records
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233:Craig Wasson
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183:Morley Safer
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55:(1988-09-16)
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957:1988 deaths
952:1971 births
597:Sunday News
521:conference.
363:December 5,
225:Dina Spybey
189:interview,
141:pathologist
941:Categories
690:60 Minutes
295:References
245:issued by
241:is a 1995
229:Debra Monk
199:60 Minutes
187:60 Minutes
178:60 Minutes
102:Louisville
92:Background
41:1971-08-24
25:Becky Bell
882:April 20,
705:April 17,
639:abortion.
557:The Times
420:April 20,
410:The Times
247:550 Music
145:unsterile
114:pneumonia
928:Archived
909:IMDb.com
901:Archived
876:Archived
834:Archived
801:Archived
770:Archived
699:Archived
695:CBS News
626:Archived
491:Archived
473:(1992).
449:Archived
414:Archived
357:Archived
323:Archived
273:See also
209:In media
776:May 21,
329:May 21,
121:autopsy
119:Bell's
483:
129:cervix
874:(3).
78:Becky
884:2014
842:2017
809:2017
778:2014
707:2014
634:2014
621:Time
499:2014
481:ISBN
457:2014
422:2014
365:2014
331:2014
139:and
82:Bell
50:Died
31:Born
907:."
269:".
215:HBO
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