Tuesday, 28 year-old John Andrew Welden was arrested and charged with murder, after giving his pregnant girlfriend an abortion pill without her knowledge. His girlfriend, Remee Lee, 26, thought she was taking was an antibiotic to treat an infection. Welden’s malicious act of to terminate Lee’s’ pregnancy, is incomprehensible. He betrayed her, he drugged her, he violently terminated the growth of her fetus, and he crushed her rights, as a woman, to choose motherhood.

“Whenever a woman is robbed of her ability to give birth and have a child, I don’t think there’s any greater harm you can cause somebody,” said Lee’s attorney, Gil Sanchez. “She’s devastated. She still can’t believe this happened to her.”

Any women who has ever experienced a miscarriage, at any point during a pregnancy, understands, what can amount to be, unbearable sadness. According to court reports, in February, Lee found out she was pregnant and was elated at the thought of becoming a mother. Her boyfriend, Welden was not happy to hear the news, and he pressured Lee to end the pregnancy. Lee chose to have the baby. Six weeks and six days pregnant, she began bleeding heavily. She went to the hospital, and was told she miscarried due to an abortion drug found in the medication bottle she brought with her. It was in the hospital, Lee also found from the ‘love of her life,’ John Andrew Welden, that he had tricked and betrayed her.

Photo: Remee Lee and John ‘Andrew’ Welden

John Welden’s father, Stephen Welden, is a OBGYN fertility doctor. Remee Lee went to see John’s father for an exam. After the examination, Welden told Lee, per her exam and his father’s instructions, she had a bacterial infection and she needed to take an anti-biotic called, Amoxicillin. Welden then alledgedly forged his father’s signature to obtain an abortion drug called, Cytotec. He relabeled the pill bottle to say, ‘Amoxicillin; then told Lee to take the pills three times per day. Remee Lee took the pills thinking it was in the best interest of her and her baby-to-be.

The drug, Cytotec, taken with Mifepristone, causes an abortion during the first nine weeks of pregnancy by causing the embryo to detach from the uterine wall. The embryo is then flushed out by labor-induced contractions.

Remee Lee is suing John Andrew Welden for battery, intentional infliction of emotional harm, and punitive damages. Tuesday, Welden was indicted by a federal grand jury, on charges of first-degree murder and product tampering. He faces life in prison if convicted of the murder charge, as it falls under a rarely used federal statute called the, “Protection of Unborn Children Act.” which is reportedly a derivative of the federal act signed by George W. Bush in 2004 called the, Unborn Victims Of Violence Act, against the protests of pro-choice organizations, as well as Senator John Kerry, who was running against Bush for presidential office:

Senator John Kerry, Bush’s main opponent in the 2004 Presidential election, voted against the bill, saying, “I have serious concerns about this legislation because the law cannot simultaneously provide that a fetus is a human being and protect the right of the mother to choose to terminate her pregnancy.”

The law signed by Bush, was also known as the Laci and Conner’s Act , after the murder of Laci Peterson who went missing at seven and a half months pregnant. Her husband, Scott Peterson was later convicted for the first degree murder of Laci Peterson and the second degree murder of his prenatal son, Conner Peterson. The murders of pregnant women are more than common. Studies show the third most common cause of death for pregnant women, is homicide.

On a positive note the, Unborn Victims Of Violence Act (Public Law 108-212) does not apply to women who choose to have an abortion:

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the prosecution— (1) of any person for conduct relating to an abortion for which the consent of the pregnant woman, or a person authorized by law to act on her behalf, has been obtained or for which such consent is implied by law; (2) of any person for any medical treatment of the pregnant woman or her unborn child; or (3) of any woman with respect to her unborn child.

In this current case between John Andrew Welden and Remee Lee, Walden committed a violent act against a pregnant woman and fetus, and he fraudulently deprived Lee of her right to become a mother. Protecting all rights of ‘choice’ for women, has been an ongoing, difficult, and relentless battle for pro-choice organizations like Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NAF and UniteWomen.org. This country is made great by such organizations.

Remee Lee spoke to ABC. Here is the video:

Below Are Links To Five American Women’s Rights Organizations You Can Visit/Support: