Each woman’s story includes whatever documentation I can find to substantiate her death. Women’s Stories
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All Deaths by Name

• “Kelly” B., August 10, 1988 Age: 19
  • Sloppy anesthesia, failure to resuscitate
• Mary Bailek, September 15, 1926 Age: 23
  • Midwife indicted; outcome of case unknown to me
• Jacqueline Bailey, December 3, 1977 Age: 29
  • Uterine rupture during risky saline abortion
• Helen Bain, November 20, 1925 Age: 23
  • Second of three deaths linked to Dr. George Slater; outcome of case unknown to me
• Margaret Balch, January 8, 1918 Age: 20
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Mary Balcznska, June 5, 1915 Age: 25
  • Midwife arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• May Bambrick, October 5, 1911 Age: 38
  • First of two deaths linked to midwife Emma Schultz; outcome of case unknown to me
• Brenda Banks, October 1, 1989 Age: 35
  • Major internal lacerations; bled to death
• Myrtha Baptiste, December 18, 1982 Age: 26
  • Third of four deaths at Women’s Care Clinic; counted by CDC as illegal because doctor’s license was suspended at the time
• Lisa Bardsley, February 17, 1995 Age: 26
  • First of two women to bleed to death after abortion by Dr. John Biskind at A-Z Women’s Clinic
• Matilda Baringer, May 17, 1876 Age 34
  • Midwife confessed
• Catherine Barnard, April 6, 1969 Age: 35
  • Physician convicted
• Bernice Barnes, January 24, 1929
  • Physician implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Junette Barnes, July 8, 1988 Age: 27
  • Multiple internal lacerations; bled to death
• Margaret Barnts, May 8, 1928 Age: 27
  • Possible lay abortionist implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Ida Bates, 1899
  • Lay abortionist convicted of murder
• Alberta Beard, March 14, 1930 Age: 29
  • Physician arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Sarah Jane Beaver, October 28, 1876 Age: 15
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Norma Beck, April 4, 1907 Age: 32
  • Physician arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Ragna Beck, July 18, 1911 Age: 24
  • Nurse or midwife arrested; case stricken off
• Doris Becker, December 2, 1948 Age: 21
  • Physician pleaded guilty to manslaughter
• Olivia Becker, March 19, 1915 Age 34
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Deanna Bell, September 5, 1992 Age: 13
  • 9th of 16 dead patients of NAF member chain Family Planning Associates; massive anesthesia overdose
• Delia Mae Bell, March 26, 1889 Age: 14
  • Self-induced; unidentified abortifacient
• Mary Bellville, March 8, 1889 Age: 22
  • Possible self-induced or amateur abortion; outcome of case unknown to me
• Lena Benes, May 30, 1919 Age: 43
  • First of two deaths by midwife Anna Heisler; convicted but released on odd technicality
• Jemima Beneway, February 13, 1858 Age: 21
  • Possible lay abortionist implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Kerneda Bennett, January 28, 1947 Age: c. 30
  • Possible lay abortionist convicted
• Brenda Benton, April 20, 1987 Age: 35
  • Second of three deaths at Biogenetics; sepsis
• Marie Benzing, February 15, 1917 Age: 28
  • Physician arrested; no trial
• Missao Beppu, January 16, 1939 Age: 33
  • Lay abortionist convicted of manslaughter
• Margaret Bereis, January 31, 1915 Age: 20
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Sophia Berghusen, April 28, 1880 Age: 33
  • Two midwives acquitted for reasons not indicated
• Anna Berman, February 1, 1916 Age: 35
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Rosario Bermeo, June 14, 1983 Age: 30
  • Anesthesia mishap during hospital abortion
• Mercedes Berriogobel
  • 
  • February 5, 1906 Age: 15
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Lucile Bersworth, May 16, 1916 Age: 25
  • Physician suspected; no trial
• “Agatha” Bertram, June, 1875
  • Unspecified abortifacient provided by unidentified person
• Hughretta Binkley
  • 
  • April 19, 1898 Age: 27
  • Physician convicted of manslaughter
• Emily Binney, April 7, 1896 Age: 20
  • Midwife arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Janet Blaum, March 11, 1974 Age: 37
  • Only known death linked to former criminal abortionist Dr. Sidney Knight; brain hemorrhage
• Cassandra Bleavins, September 19, 1971 Age: 20
  • Sent home from hospital abortion with internal lacerations; bled to death
• Mildred Bleschke, November 21, 1924 Age: 24
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Ida Alice Bloom, March 24, 1905 Age: 28
  • Physician arrested; final outcome of case unknown to me
• Augusta Bloom, March 3, 1916 Age: 43
  • Second of two deaths linked to Dr. James Struble.
• Mary Balogh, January 28, 1912 Age: 28
  • Midwife arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Kate Blust, March 12, 1909 Age: 22
  • Midwife arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Marian Blyth
  • 
  • April 25, 1948 Age: 25
  • Physician convicted
• Sarah Bonda, July 2, 1900 Age: 20
  • Midwife poisoned herself shortly after being arrested
• Linda Boom, September 23, 1995 Age: 35
  • Saline accidentally injected into bloodstream during hospital abortion
• Mary Borglun, August 4, 1900 Age: 20
  • Nurse or midwife arrested; outcome of case unknown to me
• Anna Borndal, November 4, 1928 Age: 22
  • Third of six deaths linked to Dr. Lou E. Davis; outcome of case unknown to me
• Augusta Boschen, July 26, 1877
  • Physician fled to avoid prosecution; outcome of case unknown to me
• Ida Bosen, March 22, 1926 Age: 35
  • Self-induced with unspecified abortifacient
• Alice Bowlsby
  • 
  • August 26, 1871 Age: 25
  • Body discovered in a trunk; physician convicted of manslaughter
• Madge Bowman, September 8, 1923 Age: 16
  • Midwife arrested, cleared, then arrested again; final outcome of case unknown to me
• Diane Boyd, October 24, 1981 Age: 19
  • First of three dead patients of Dr. Robert Crist; drug interaction
• Marie Boyens, September 11, 1881 Age: 26
  • Physician arrested; final outcome of case unknown to me
• Pauline Braasch, November 13, 1910 Age: 32
  • Physician arrested; final outcome of case unknown to me
• Mary Bradley, April 4, 1985 Age: 41
  • First of two dead patients of Dr. George Wayne Patterson; severe bleeding and clotting problems
• Christina Brecht, February 21, 1876 Age: 26
  • Physician arrested; final outcome of case unknown to me
• Alma Bromps, April 15, 1931 Age: 20
  • Second of two deaths linked to Dr. Thomas Ney; conviction
• Dorothy Bryant, May 31, 1986 Age: 22
  • Anesthesia issues
• Bessie Braun, April 6, 1906 Age: 22
  • Second death linked to midwife Julia Gibson, who confessed
• Mabel Brock, September 23, 1907 Age: 27
  • Midwife implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Minnie Broderick, April 7, 1889 Age: 25
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Alline Brown, March 10, 1929 Age: 18
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Dorothy Brown, August 16, 1974 Age: 37
  • Last of three known abortion deaths at Friendship Medical Center; uterine injuries
• Irma Brown
  • 
  • November 15, 1901 Age: 22
  • Physician acquitted due to possibility that the abortion had been legal
• Mabel Brown, May 15, 1915 Age 29
  • Unidentified perpetrator
• Mary Brubaker, March 18, 1913 Age: 25
  • Physician implicated; no trial
• Ella Brunswick, March 5, 1907 Age: 24
  • Midwife implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Chanelle Bryant, January 14, 2004 Age: 22
  • Last of 16 known deaths at NAF member chain Family Planning Associates; massive infection after medical abortion
• Margaret Buetelman October 22, 1914
  • Dr. F. Waldo Whitney convicted of manslaughter
• Cora Burke, June 23, 1899 Age: 20
  • Dr. J. J. Alcorn convicted of manslaughter
• Mary Burns, July 1862 Age: c. 40
  • Physician implicated; outcome of case unknown to me
• Belinda Byrd
  • 
  • January 27, 1987 Age: 37
  • Last of five women to die at Inglewood Women’s Hospital; unattended after internal injuries; bled to death
• Martha Byzynski, August 11, 1923 Age: 26
  • Nurse or midwife implicated; outcome of case unknown to me

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