In a strong statement on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris pointed to the tragic death of Amber Thurman, a young Georgia mother who passed away after waiting 20 hours for medical treatment following complications from an abortion pill. Harris attributed Thurman's death to the consequences of former President Donald Trump's actions, particularly his appointment of three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn nationwide abortion rights.

The incident occurred just two weeks after Georgia implemented a strict abortion ban in 2022, following the Supreme Court's decision. Harris emphasized that Thurman should have been alive, raising her son and pursuing her dreams, but instead, her life was cut short due to the lack of timely medical intervention.

Harris expressed her concerns about the grave repercussions caused by Trump's approach towards reproductive rights. She highlighted instances where women have faced dire situations, such as bleeding out in parking lots, being turned away from emergency rooms, and losing their ability to conceive. Additionally, survivors of rape and incest are being denied the autonomy to make decisions about their own bodies.

The Vice President underscored the urgent need to address these issues and vowed to continue shedding light on cases like Thurman's to mobilize women voters. She stressed that the federal government has identified numerous cases where pregnant women were unlawfully denied treatment at emergency rooms, with an alarming surge occurring in states with abortion bans, like Texas and Missouri, following the Supreme Court ruling.

A report from the Associated Press revealed distressing accounts of women left to miscarry in public bathrooms, forced to wait for medical care in their cars, or even advised by doctors to seek assistance elsewhere. Many women in states with abortion bans have experienced infections or suffered irreversible damage to their reproductive systems due to delayed emergency procedures.

While Thurman's tragic passing marks the first publicly reported death resulting from delayed care, the Trump campaign shifted blame onto the hospital for allegedly failing to provide life-saving treatment. Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, highlighted that the Georgia law does include exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and endangerment to the mother's life, raising questions as to why doctors did not act swiftly to save Thurman's life.

The state's maternal mortality commission is currently reviewing Thurman's case. Preliminary findings indicate that the suburban Atlanta hospital where she sought assistance had not previously been cited by the federal government for failing to provide necessary treatment to pregnant patients over the past two years.

Thurman sought medical help at the hospital after experiencing complications from taking an abortion pill. Despite developing sepsis, doctors reportedly did not perform a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure to remove remaining fetal tissue from her uterus. Tragically, Thurman passed away while on the operating table, just moments after asking her mother to care for her 6-year-old son. ProPublica, the news outlet that broke the story, has announced plans to release another report on an abortion-related death in the near future.

Democrats and abortion rights advocates seized upon Thurman's case as a clear example of the detrimental impact of strict abortion bans on women's health. They argue that the incident provides concrete evidence that such laws can have fatal consequences, countering the assertions of anti-abortion advocates who dismiss these concerns as mere misinformation.

The call for action to protect women's reproductive rights grows louder, as this tragic incident shines a spotlight on the urgent need for access to safe and timely medical care for women facing complications after abortions.