Becky Bell (original) (raw)

Rebecca Suzanne "Becky" Bell (August 24, 1971 – September 16, 1988) was an American teenage girl who died of complications from a septic abortion. After becoming pregnant, Bell inquired about a legal abortion but was hindered by Indiana state laws which required either her parents' consent or a waiver from a judge. Instead, Bell either obtained an illegal abortion or attempted to self-abort, leading to a fatal infection. The coroner found that Bell died of sepsis as a consequence of an unsterile abortion, a finding that was disputed by the anti-abortion movement. Following Bell's death, her parents became advocates for the repeal of parental consent laws.