Is Gerson Fuentes 'innocent'? Mom of Ohio girl, 10, who had abortion in Indiana defends rapist
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: After a probe was launched against Dr Caitlin Bernard, the doctor who provided an abortion facility to the 10-year-old Ohio rape victim, now there is a new twist in the ongoing case. The mother of the minor rape victim claims her daughter is ''fine'' after being forced to travel to Indiana to get an abortion. The abortion facility was barred in the victim's home state, Ohio because of which they were forced to travel. Three days after the Supreme Court issued its groundbreaking decision to overturn Roe v Wade, Dr Bernard helped the young girl and her family get the abortion access they needed in Indiana.
The unnamed victim was six weeks and three days pregnant at the time of the abortion. Gerson Fuentes, 27, of Guatemala, confessed to raping the young girl. However, her mother alleges ''everything they're saying against him is a lie". Fuentes was arraigned on Wednesday, July 13, in Columbus where he faces a charge of felony first-degree rape of a child under 13. His bail was set at $2 million. Telemundo reporter María Vargas-Pion visited the Columbus residence where the 10-year-old rape victim and her mother allegedly live on Wednesday, July 13, and spoke with the victim's mother.
ALSO READ
Anesthetist filmed sexually assaulting pregnant woman after heavily sedating her during C-section
Who was Simon Currat? Colorado boy, 6, dies after being bitten by rattlesnake during bike ride
The woman who hid behind the door claimed herself to be the victim's mother while she defended Fuentes. "Did the girl live here as well?'' Vargas-Pion asked. The woman, speaking in Spanish, replied: ''Yes, but she's fine. Everything that they're saying against him is a lie.'' ''And the child - are you related to her or her mother?'' the reporter probed. ''She's my daughter,'' the mother answered.
#NoticiasTelemundo habló en exclusiva con la madre de la niña que fue violada en Ohio y asegura que "está bien".
— Noticias Telemundo (@TelemundoNews) July 14, 2022
Agregó que lo que se dice sobre el joven que confesó el crimen "es mentira".
Más detalles 👉🏻 https://t.co/fK0eoiHb5b pic.twitter.com/PbhyuXdCr9
Despite the fact that Fuentes was charged with rape after admitting to having had "vaginal contact" with the girl at least two times, the woman reportedly stated she had not brought any legal action against him. Investigators believe the child was just nine years old when she was raped and later became pregnant when she had celebrated her 10th birthday.
Through a referral made by the girl's mother to Franklin County Children Services on June 22, police were made aware of the girl's pregnancy. On June 30, she had a medical abortion in Indianapolis under Dr Bernard's supervision. Columbus police Detective Jeffrey Huhn, in his testimony at Fuentes' arraignment on Wednesday, July 13, claimed the girl identified the Guatemalan resident as both her attacker and the father of her child.
TOP STORIES
Who is Sarah Lopez? Dem witness infuriates Internet by saying abortion was ‘an act of SELF-LOVE’
He also stated during his testimony that DNA evidence gathered from the Indianapolis facility would be compared to samples taken from Fuentes, according to The Columbus Dispatch. In an effort to determine who is the father of the fetus, officials are also examining DNA taken from the child's siblings. Indiana Attorney general has also launched a probe against Dr Bernard over failing to report abortions to the authorities.