Can you as a woman agree with this?

AS A WOMAN AND AS A HUMAN BEING WITH STRONG FEELINGS AND OPINIONS, I MUST SYA IT IS DISTRUBING. I AM VERY SAD FOR BOTH THAT YOUNG WOMAN. BUT, I ALSO FEAR FOR THAT CHILD SHE IS NOW CARRYING. GOVERNOR BUSH HAS PUT HIMSELF IN A TOUGH POSITION. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TRY TO PLAY GOD, YOU GET BIT ON THE BUTT. IF SHE DOES HAVE TO HAVE THIS CHILD. I PRAY IT IS HEALTHY AND ABLE TO GROW UP HAPPY AND FEELING GOOD ABOUT ITSELF. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH HER.

But this young lady is being forced to have this baby, so someone can adopt it, this is what the Bushs intentions are, they back adoption, anti abortion no matter what the costs are, they do not care if this young lady dies, just so there is a baby.

I AGREE THIS IS A TERRIBLE SITUATION. THERE IS NO YES OR NOW ANSWER FOR THIS. I WISH THERE WERE.

Who was responsible for the girls medical care before she got pregnant? Can't that person assure she at least is getting proper medical care while the courts take their time? Someone had to have been appointed as guardian for her as a disabled member of a group home anyway, wouldn't they? Sounds like they have a whole system full of problems.

From what I understand, a guardian has been appointed, to make sure she gives birth, not one to help her live, in other words, someone will watch over her to make sure she is treated like a baby incubator because they have been told she could die, so the system is raping her also and I don't take the word lightly.

Da***t, a lot more time and money and energy needs to be spent 1. Finding and prosecuting the rapist. 2. Installing cameras and video in the group home. 3. Electing a new governor. Isnt' FLA the state where the Terry Schavio case is? I think this state needs to really examine its responsiblities, both legally and morally to people with disabilties.

okay first off. I am from florida and i will say that no state is perfect. no person is perfect. I do not agree with the situation in orlando however you only hear bits and pieces of it if you do not live in the area. 1st. They are trying to figure out a way to get DNA from the baby to match it to the suspects they have due to the fact the girl/woman has a mental compacity of a 1 year old, and is unable to tell them anything. 2nd. She is in a nursing home, not a group home. So apparently someone is giving her medical treatment. 3rd. The Terry case has nothing to do with the morals of the state of florida. Her parents are fighting her husband and they have taken it to court. Seems to me the parents and husband need to figure things out [url]http://www.abcactionnews.com/stories/2002/10/021011schavio.shtml[/url] 4th. There was a similar case in Miami a girl in a private nursing home was raped and had sever downs with a heart condition. Her parents were still alive and made the decision for her and they aborted the baby. They still don't know who did it to the girl but are pushing for legal sterilization of all females like there daughter in a group or nursing home. Is that so right either? Just my two cents. Jody

"SOME TIME last January, a 22-year-old woman living in a group home in Orlando, Fla., was raped. The woman is now 5-months pregnant. She is also severely mentally retarded. Experts say she has the cognitive and emotional capacity of a 1-year-old child.

In addition to her severe mental retardation, she suffers from cerebral palsy, autism and is prone to violent seizures. These conditions make having a baby a very dangerous proposition for this unfortunate young woman. Because of her physical impairment, she could die if she tries to deliver the baby." This is sickening. Think about it... The cognitive capacity of a 1-year-old. I agree... the term "group home" is misleading. Obviously, this person requires constant care in a nursing home setting. "Group home" suggests some level of independence/ self-sufficiency/ self-care, and someone with the cognitive ability of a one-year-old would not be capable of that. From this description of her condition, it's my impression that she's very severely handicapped: nonverbal, incontinent, non-ambulatory. Where would a person like this encounter a potential rapist? To me, there are only two possibilities. 1. The rapist is a stranger who snuck into the facility, raped her, and snuck back out again. or, much more likely in my opinion: 2. The rapist was an aide, attendant, or employed in some other capacity by the facility to care for the patients. In this case, it is quite likely that he's still employed there, and very possibly still abusing patients as we speak. Either way, the facility needs to be held accountable. I agree with Sweetnoodle that there need to be cameras installed in these type of facilities to prevent abuse, neglect, and any other sort of mistreatment of patients by staff members. To me, the ONLY thing that matters in this case is finding the rapist immediately to prevent possible further mistreatment of this woman and of other patients. I would be very surprised if "they" were unable to "figure out a way" to determine the DNA of a 5-month-old fetus. Doctors are able to perform heart and other surgery on fetuses in utero these days... so how can they be unable to extract DNA from a fetus? We are not just talking about a "retarded young woman" here. We are talking about a person so severely compromised that she is entirely helpless and dependent on others for every need. A one-year-old baby trapped in the body of a handicapped woman, forced to endure a pregnancy that may kill her. IMO, the priority here needs to be to catch the rapist (YESTERDAY!!!) and lock him up so that he is no longer able to prey upon the most helpless members of our society. This situation makes me so sad. ~ Sharon

I link the Schavio and this one in my mind because I do think it has to do with the political climate down there. Everything I've read about the Schavio case is tied up in court by a judge who agrees with the husband, and although the case has nothing to do with babies, adoption or abortion, it has to do with the rights of the disabled as does this one. Although their capacities are clearly different. Secondly, I love Florida, and maybe I shouldn't criticize it since I don't live there, althought I'd like to some day. I did not know it was a nursing home as opposed to a group home. As Sharon said, there is clearly a difference there. I agree with Sharon. Is it really probable that the medical people can't figure out a way to get a DNA sample from a fetus? Isn't that how they diagnose babies with spina bifida and other disorders through amniocentesis? Come on, I find that hard to swallow that they cannot get this accomplished. In regards to sterilization of the handicapped, that is a whole other thread, but in that case, it was her guardians' decision, at least she had relatives that were guardians, and in this case, if the state is responsible for her welfare because she doesn't have relative guardians or family appointed guardians, then its the state's responsibility to take care of her and do the right thing, disregarding political agendas. Just my 2 cents. Sincerely,