Archives

Reprint of August 1999 "CapitAlert"
Eagle Forum of Illinois "Babies Dying in Soiled Utility Closets?"

Babies Dying in Soiled Utility Closets?

“I have personally witnessed two babies who have been aborted alive (and this is actually
not an unusual occurrence). Neither time did the mother nor father want to hold and care
for the baby until s/he passed from this life. Department policy in this case is to provide
comfort care to the child until s/he dies.

Once, I held the aborted baby in a warm blanket for the 45 minutes it took for him to die.
The other time a co-working Support Associate did the same. Can you imagine the
revulsion of this? The only situation that could be worse was, as an RN colleague related
to me, a night when she did not have the time to personally care for one of these infants.
Since we have no place designated to keep these babies, this one had to be left to die alone in the Soiled Utility Room. . .”

These shocking allegations were revealed in an April 23, 1999 letter from a Labor & Delivery nurse to the executives of the south suburban Chicago hospital where she was employed. When her plea led to no changes in hospital policy, the nurse appealed to her pastor, who wrote a letter on behalf of his parishioner to nearly fifty persons in the southern suburbs of Chicago. He, too, asked for help in resolving the matter. But as of the first of August, the nurse states that there still has been no official policy change on this horrific practice in Christ Hospital, located in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

On July 30, 1999, seventy-five persons are reported to have gathered outside Christ Hospital for a prayer vigil. One of the attendees reports, “It was not a protest -- no posters, marches, etc. Just prayer. It was very peaceful.” The prayer vigil was organized by St. Thomas More parishioners.

According to inside sources, the vigil itself served to spread word amongst hospital staff about the elective abortions that have been going on at Christ Hospital. Up until this public concern was demonstrated, no one on the staff outside of the Labor & Delivery Department was aware of the policy. The staff began to quietly discuss the hypocrisy of working to save children’s lives on one floor, while beneath them “defective children were being killed.”

All this activity has evidently disturbed the administration of Christ Hospital. But instead of resolving to ending the practice and protect innocent unborn children, their concern has turned to taking safety precautions for hospital CEOs. They have also determined to change the hospital’s policy on abortion, and proceed in the current direction of continuing and possibly expanding the practice of elective abortions in the second trimester.

In addition, it has been uncovered that the whole Advocate Health Care System (of which Christ Hospital is a member) is considering making this same policy systemwide. Other Illinois facilities in this eight hospital system include Park Ridge’s Lutheran General Hospital and Hazelcrest’s South Suburban Hospital.

Persons who would like to express their support to this courageous nurse who has brought this horrendous practice to the attention of the public are invited to write to:

“Jill”, c/o Eagle Forum of Illinois, PO Box 233, Oak Forest, IL 60452.

In addition, letters of concern and opposition from all over Illinois should be written to the following:

Ms. Colette Neuens, Chief Executive, Ms. Carol Schneider, Chief Executive and Dr. William Adair, President of Medical Staff, Christ Hospital and Medical Center, 4440 West 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453

and

Mr. Richard Risk, Chief Executive, Advocate Health Care, 2025 Windsor Drive, Oak Brook, IL 60523

(The same letter may be written to all four -- just address each appropriately.)

Prayer vigil organizers are announcing a second vigil to be held August 28, 1999 at Christ Hospital. The vigil will begin at 9:30 am on the Kostner Avenue side of the building. Organizers are hoping for 1000 participants.

(copyright 1999 EFI CapitAlert)

Media Coverage 
St. George Pro-Life | Parkview Christian Church