Locals Respond to Texas Court Restricting Abortion of Pregnant Mother With Deadly Baby

An order from a judge that would have let a pregnant woman get an abortion has been put on hold. Thirty hours after Kate Cox, 31, from Dallas, was given permission to end her pregnancy because her unborn child is likely to die, the Texas Supreme Court briefly stopped the emergency abortion.

A Travis County District Court judge put out a temporary restraining order earlier this week so that Kate Cox could have the emergency surgery. But the Texas Supreme Court says it needs more time to think about it. While they did this, they put off the decision of the lower court. The late ruling on Friday night has made people all over the state very angry.

Some people CBS Austin talked to said it shouldn't have gone this far in the first place. Robert Blevins, who lives in Austin, said, "It's your bodies; you have to carry the kid."

Texas Court Restricting Abortion of Pregnant MotherPhoto byABC News

The mother of two, Cox, sued the state of Texas. On Thursday, she was given a restraining order that would have stopped Texas from following its strict abortion ban and let her have an emergency abortion.

"The thought that Ms. Cox so badly wants to be a parent and this law could actually make that impossible is shocking and would be a real injustice," said Travis County Judge Maya Guerra Gamble.

Cox is 20 weeks along in her dangerous pregnancy. Trisomy 18 was found in her baby, and court papers say the baby probably won't make it past a few days outside the womb. Her claim says that Cox's pregnancy has a very high chance of miscarriage or stillbirth and a low chance of survival.

"This case shows that abortion is necessary and life-saving medical care, and the judge agreed right away," said Molly Duane, a spokeswoman for the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Cox was upset about the judge's decision, but that would change on Friday night. The Court said in a one-page order that it was briefly putting off Thursday's decision "without regard to the merits."

Conner Gilbert of Austin said, "It's really, really, really bad to have a judge say, 'Never mind, I think that's different; I think you're fine.'" This was after being told that the pregnancy could kill the woman. Bethany McWilliams says this should never have happened.

The thing that bothers her the most is that she thinks it's silly that it has to be put on a judge in any way. "It shouldn't have even gotten to the point where it was in the hands of a judge. It's so strange, stupid, and disgusting."

"It just shows that Texas's strict abortion laws aren't helping people; they're putting them in more danger than ever," McWilliams said.

Blovins said, "You should be able to choose to go outside and do your business safely. Because there are a million ways to get hurt or killed when you don't do it safely and when you don't have the right to do it."

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