Michigan Attorney General Conducts Investigation, Legislators Call for Legal Reform of Abortion Industry

History of this Case
On October 22, 2010 The Michigan Attorney General, and the Eaton and Saginaw  County Sheriff Departments completed a 7 month-long investigation of the Womans Choice abortion clinics [sic] located at 6500 Centurion Drive, Ste. 290, Lansing and 3141 S. Cabaret Trail, Ste 400, Saginaw, Michigan—owned by Florida resident Richard Remund.

The investigation was prompted by the February 26, 2010 discovery by pro-lifer Chris Veneklase, of the bodies of 17 aborted babies in a trash dumpster used by the Womans Choice Lansing abortion clinic [sic]. 

The 17  bags were clearly marked with, not only the January dates of the abortion procedures, but also the full names of the women whose unborn children were contained within the plastic specimen packs. 

Before making a decision to search the dumpster, Veneklase observed clinic staff, over a series of weeks, tossing large black bags into the commercial grade trash container that services the business park where Womans Choice is located. Veneklase became suspicious that the clinic [sic] was getting rid of bio-hazardous material.

A bio-waste disposal van was never seen serving the facility where abortions are conducted through the 24th week of gestation.

Upon finding the bodies of aborted babies Veneklase immediately contacted Monica Migliorino Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-life Society who then joined Veneklase in subsequent searches of the Womans Choice dumpster. Miller also organized searches of the dumpster used by Womans Choice sister clinic [sic] in Saginaw, MI.  These searches continued through March 2010.

Veneklase and Miller discovered bloody surgical material in the clinic [sic] trash bags as well as several patient records from both abortion facilities.  Many documents bore the names of Drs. Lewis Twigg and Ronald Nichols—who conduct the abortions at Womans Choice clinics [sic].  

Clinic [sic] trash contained soiled and bloody suction canulas, bloody gloves, soiled and bloody gauze sacking used in first trimester abortions still holding uterine material, blood saturated surgical sheets and padding as well as empty medicine vials and used urine specimen cups—some marked with the first and last names of the female patients. Everything they found was photographed and documented.

In early April 2010 Veneklase and Miller notified law enforcement authorities as well as State Representative Rick Jones of the 71st district where the Lansing abortion clinic is located.  A meeting was attended by representatives from the Attorney General’s office, Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines, Eaton County prosecutor Jeff Sauter, Detective Jeff McNeil, Ed Rivet of Right to Life of Michigan, Representative Rick Jones, Miller and Veneklase.

It was decided that a formal investigation of the Womans Choice clinics [sic] would be undertaken.  Detective David Kerns conducted several searches of the dumpster used by Womans Choice in Saginaw.  Detective Jeff McNeil conducted several searches of the dumpster used by Womans Choice in Lansing.

It was firmly believed that the dumping of the aborted babies and the fact that the mothers’ names on the bags were in violation of Michigan State law.  Sadly and scandalously, however, Veneklase and CPLS was notified that it is not illegal for abortion practitioners to dump the bodies of aborted babies into the trash—as long as the crushed remains are fixed in formalin solution, as were these remains. 

Furthermore, due to a legal technicality, the clinic [sic] cannot, thus far, be held legally accountable for the improper handling of patient records. 

The investigation discovered that the Womans Choice clinics, owned by Florida resident Richard Remund, are improperly incorporated in the state of Michigan.  Rules that govern medical facilities require that a licensed physician be part of the facility’s incorporation. 

However, the Womans Choice clinics [sic] have no such physician named in the incorporation—thus no one is legally responsible for the handling of patient records. While laws may have been broken, Michigan law-enforcement agencies have no one to charge for the crimes.  The improper incorporation of Womans Choice clinics [sic] is still under investigation.

In the meantime Michigan State Representatives Rick Jones, Bob Jenetsky and Joe Haveman introduced legislation that would require Michigan abortion clinics to either cremate or bury the remains of aborted babies. Failure to do so could result in a felony conviction.  It is expected that abortion providers will fight passage of these new laws.

Monica Migliorino Miller states” “It is incredibly frustrating that abortion clinics [sic] continue to get away with abominations. It’s bad enough that the unborn are murdered, but their bodies are literally treated like trash.  Patient records are thrown away, and still nothing ever seems to happen to those who have no respect for life or for women.  Someday the truth will be known and justice will be done.  The one great good we are sure about is that at least these 17 aborted babies will have a humane and respectful burial.  We hope too, that when women seeking abortion hear what the Womans Choice clinics have done, they will make a choice for life instead.”

Representative Rick Jones, R-Grand ledge, states: “I was shocked and horrified to find out babies are being thrown into a garbage dumpster in my district. My legislation would end this practice by making it a felony.”

In 2008 CPLS was involved in the discovery of the bodies of aborted babies and over 200 patient records found in the dumpsters of Woman Care clinics owned by Alberto Hodari in Lathrup Village, MI. and the Women’s Advisory clinic, Livonia, MI., owned by Reginald Sharpe.

[See  www.prolifesociety.com;  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC51d2UfZic ]
From Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D. Director of CPLS   www.prolifesociety.com,

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10102705.html
For more information and history of the case see the Citizens for a Pro-Life Society website

(Warning: contains graphic images that can be very disturbing)