Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita says an investigation into the doctor who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old girl from Ohio is underway

Indiana’s Republican Attorney General has vowed to probe a doctor who performed an abortion on a 10 year-old rape victim who couldn’t have a termination in her home state of Ohio.

Todd Rokita questioned whether the medic, Dr Caitlin Bernard, had complied the Hoosier State’s law requiring that all abortions be reported to authorities.  

Appearing on Fox News Wednesday Rokita called obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an ‘abortion activist acting as a doctor’ who he claims has a history of failing to report abortions. 

‘We’re gathering the evidence as we speak, and we’re going to fight this to the end, including looking at her licensure if she failed to report. And in Indiana it’s a crime … to intentionally not report,’ AG Rokita said on Fox News on Wednesday. 

‘This is a child, and there’s a strong public interest in understanding if someone under the age of 16 or under the age of 18 or really any woman is having abortion in our state. And then if a child is being sexually abused, of course parents need to know. Authorities need to know. Public policy experts need to know.’

Bernard performed an abortion on the unidentified 10-year-old, who police say was raped by an illegal immigrant named Gerson Fuentes, 27. Her story made headlines when she was forced to travel from her home state to Indiana due to Ohio’s six-week ban enacted after the end of Roe v. Wade last month. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. 

Dr. Bernard has not yet responded to the AG’s remarks, but tweeted earlier Wednesday: 

‘My heart breaks for all survivors of sexual assault and abuse. I am so sad that our country is failing them when they need us most. Doctors must be able to give people the medical care they need, when and where they need it.’ 

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita says an investigation into the doctor who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old girl from Ohio is underway

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita says an investigation into the doctor who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old girl from Ohio is underway

Dr. Caitlin Bernard performed an abortion on the unidentified 10-year-old rape victim whose story made headlines when she was forced to travel from her home state to Indiana

Dr. Caitlin Bernard performed an abortion on the unidentified 10-year-old rape victim whose story made headlines when she was forced to travel from her home state to Indiana

The child from Ohio was six weeks and three days into her pregnancy when traveled out-of-state for her abortion. Abortion in Indiana is banned after 22 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions for medical emergencies.

However, there are strict reporting requirements in both Ohio and Indiana for abortions and rape allegations. 

Ohio’s Republican attorney general, Dave Yost, appeared on Fox News on Monday and stated there was no evidence of a report being filed for the 10-year-old’s case.

Now, Indiana AG Rokita says an investigation into the doctor and her license is underway.

The case has been under scrutiny but some who doubted whether or not the story was even true.

But this week, a 27-year-old Columbus, Ohio man was arrested after confessing to raping the child on two different occasions. 

Gerson Fuentes arraigned on Wednesday in Columbus, where he faces a charge of felony first degree rape of a child under 13. Bail was set at $2 million. 

On Wednesday, Fox News host Jesse Watters took credit for ‘putting pressure’ on the investigation into the rape of a 10-year-old Ohio girl, just two days after suggesting the story could be a hoax.

Watters hinted that the criminal investigation leading to the arrest of Fuentes was largely the result of his commentary on Monday.

‘Primetime covered this story heavily on Monday, put on the pressure, and now we’re glad that justice is being served,’ he said.

The network then played a compilation of short videos that showed Watters cracking on inconsistencies in the case, including why Dr. Bernard, who provided the abortion services in Indiana, had not reported the rape.  

Gerson Fuentes, 27, was arrested on July 12 and has been charged with one count of rape after police say he confessed to raping the child two different times

Gerson Fuentes, 27, was arrested on July 12 and has been charged with one count of rape after police say he confessed to raping the child two different times

Watters was critical of the media’s focus on the abortion aspect of the highly covered story and decried the fact that a criminal inquiry had not been opened into the rape by the time it made national headlines.

‘Why isn’t anybody talking about bringing the child rapist to justice,’ Watters said: ‘If there is a … child abuser out there in the streets of Ohio, he needs to be brought to justice, and if so-called doctors are covering child rape, they need to be prosecuted.’

Watters has cast doubt on the veracity of the story, venturing to suggest that it could be a hoax used by the left to seize on the potential to politicize the 10-year-old victim after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

‘But if this horrific story isn’t accurate and the abortion doctor and the are misleading us?’ Watters asked during Monday’s segment.

‘And the mainstream media and president of the United States seizing on another hoax? Then this is absolutely shameful. And fits a pretty dangerous pattern of politically timed disinformation.’

During a Wednesday segment, Watters hinted that the criminal investigation leading to the arrest of alleged child rapist Gerson Fuentes, 27, was largely the result of his commentary

During a Wednesday segment, Watters hinted that the criminal investigation leading to the arrest of alleged child rapist Gerson Fuentes, 27, was largely the result of his commentary

Fuentes, whom federal sources said is present in the country illegally, confessed to raping the girl at least twice, a police investigator testified at the arraignment.

The detective also testified that the victim in the case was forced to travel to Indiana to get an abortion following the Dobbs ruling, a claim that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, along with other conservatives, had cast doubt upon just days ago.

A detective testified Wednesday that Columbus police learned about the girl’s pregnancy through a referral by Franklin County Children Services that was made by her mother on June 22.

 The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that recognized women’s constitutional right to abortion, just two days later, on June 24.

Rape suspect Gerson Fuentes, 27, is seen at Wednesday's arraignment appearing via videolink. He is accused of raping a 10-year-old girl who had to cross state lines for an abortion

Rape suspect Gerson Fuentes, 27, is seen at Wednesday’s arraignment appearing via videolink. He is accused of raping a 10-year-old girl who had to cross state lines for an abortion

In court, a detective (not pictured) testified that the victim in the case was forced to travel to Indiana to get an abortion following the Dobbs ruling

In court, a detective (not pictured) testified that the victim in the case was forced to travel to Indiana to get an abortion following the Dobbs ruling

The girl had an abortion in Indianapolis on June 30, The Columbus Dispatch reported, crossing state lines in order to get access the procedure.

An Indianapolis physician who provides abortion services, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, had told The Indianapolis Star that an abortion had been provided for such a child because the girl couldn’t get the abortion in Ohio, which had a newly imposed state ban on abortions at the first detectable ‘fetal heartbeat.’

The child was six weeks and three days pregnant — therefore, ineligible by just three days to receive the procedure in her home state.

According to court records, a report was generated on June 22 with the Columbus Division of Police for rape. And on July 6, the victim identified Fuentes to authorities as the person who raped her.

A week later, Fuentes was served a search warrant for a saliva sample and was taken into custody where he confessed to raping the victim multiple times.

Fuentes appeared in court Wednesday and was given a $2 million bond. He’s currently in the Franklin County Jail.

Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Cynthia Ebner said the case didn’t warrant Fuentes – who is believed to be undocumented – to be held without bond, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

But Ebner said a higher bond was necessary due to Fuentes being a possible flight risk and for the safety of children involved.

Ohio AG Dave Yost Yost had claimed in an interview Monday there's no 'biological evidence' to the story, and that he hasn't heard a 'whisper anywhere' about the little girl

Ohio AG Dave Yost Yost had claimed in an interview Monday there’s no ‘biological evidence’ to the story, and that he hasn’t heard a ‘whisper anywhere’ about the little girl

In a statement on Wednesday, Yost quickly took a different tack on the case

In a statement on Wednesday, Yost quickly took a different tack on the case

On Fox News Monday, Yost claimed there is no ‘biological evidence’ to the story, and that he hasn’t heard a ‘whisper anywhere’ about the little girl.

‘Even more telling, Jesse, my office runs the state crime lab. Any case like this, you’re going to have a rape kit, you’re going to have biological evidence, and you’d be looking for DNA analysis,’ he said. ‘There is no case request for analysis that looks anything like this.’

Following the news of the arrest on Wednesday, the AG’s office released a statement.

‘My heart aches for the pain suffered by this young child. I am grateful for the diligent work of the Columbus Police Department in securing a confession and getting a rapist off the street.

Justice must be served and BCI stands ready to support law enforcement across Ohio putting these criminals behind bars.’

The case made national headlines soon after the Indianapolis Star, an Indiana-based publication, reported a little girl had to cross state lines to receive an abortion because she was denied one in Ohio. 

Bernard claimed an Ohio abuse doctor got in contact with her hours after the Supreme Court’s controversially overturned Roe v. Wade.

Ohio is one of the many states  set to impose laws, which would cap abortions at six weeks. Also in the state of Ohio, doctors are mandated to report abuse of minors

Ohio is one of the many states  set to impose laws, which would cap abortions at six weeks. Also in the state of Ohio, doctors are mandated to report abuse of minors 

The child was allegedly six weeks and three days pregnant – therefore, ineligible by just three days to receive the procedure in her home state.

Abortion advocates in the state attempted to halt Ohio’s six-week abortion ban, but the effort was denied by a judge.

It was originally reported that the girl had to leave the state for an abortion due to trigger laws, but Yost told Fox News that that is incorrect.

‘Ohio’s heartbeat law has a medical exception, which is broader than just the life of the mother,’ he said. ‘This young girl, if she exists and if this horrible thing actually happened to her – it breaks my heart to think about it – she did not have to leave Ohio to find treatment.’

It’s unclear, however, that the girl’s condition met the law’s definition of an emergency, which must be life-threatening or involve a ‘serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.’

Biden mentioned the story in an passionate speech that argued for federal abortion protection and asked the audience to imagine being the that little girl

Biden mentioned the story in an passionate speech that argued for federal abortion protection and asked the audience to imagine being the that little girl 

In a statement Wednesday, Yost said the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation stands ready to help prosecute the case. He didn’t address his previous suggestions that the case was fabricated.

Gov. Mike DeWine, who, like Yost, faced criticism for questioning the case’s veracity, had no new comments to offer Wednesday, spokesperson Dan Tierney said in an email.

‘As we previously stated, Gov. DeWine views this crime as a horrific tragedy, and he has said that if the evidence supports, the rapist should spend the rest of his life in prison,’ he said.

Last week, President Joe Biden raged about trigger laws and the girl’s rape.

The president himself referenced the story, using it to help push an executive order that would protect abortions in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.

‘This isn’t some imagined horror,’ Biden said. ‘It is already happening. Just last week, it was reported that a 10-year-old girl was a rape victim – 10 years old – and she was forced to have to travel out of state to Indiana to seek to terminate the pregnancy and maybe save her life.’

Biden, 79, raised his voice as he recounted the story, grasping the podium with both hands as he railed about the trauma the girl would have faced, and the presumed unfairness of the situation.

‘Imagine being that little girl,’ he added, in another appeal to the crowd. ‘Just imagine being that little girl. Ten years old!’

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