University of New Mexico to pay $365,000 to family of woman killed by abortion

The University of New Mexico will pay $365,000 to settle a lawsuit from the family members of a woman killed by an abortion. Atkins’ cause of death was sepsis.

The mom and sister of Keisha Atkins, 23, first filed a lawsuit in 2018 after Atkins died in 2017 after seeking a 24-week abortion from late-term abortionist Curtis Boyd at Southwestern Women’s Options (SWO).  

As Medicaid does not cover elective abortions, abortionist Dr. Shannon Carr reportedly testified under oath that she marked the abortion as necessary for Atkins’ mental, physical, emotional, and familial health based on “sheer speculation.” 

“UNM should have never referred Keisha to Curtis Boyd’s outpatient abortion facility, Southwestern Women’s Options,” said Jamie Jeffries, executive director of Abortion on Trial. “It is unacceptable medical care to perform an induction abortion outside of a hospital. Practitioners everywhere should be aware that referring women to private abortion clinics can result in legal action and subsequent liability.”

Despite the abortion facility’s claim that Atkins needed a late abortion to prevent “substantial and irreversible harm to her physical health, her mental health, her family health, her safety and her well-being,” Atkins and her baby were believed to have been healthy overall, and Carr only spoke with Atkins for 20 minutes prior to the abortion.

She admitted that she was only speculating that Atkins would struggle with depression, anxiety, and financial instability as a young, single mother.

Abortion on Trial (AOT) shared an update on the case recently. It assisted in the legal battle. “After a few years of legal battles, hearings, and major Covid delays the case has finally been dismissed and UNM has agreed to pay the Atkins family $365,000.00 for the negligent referral that led to Keisha’s death,” AOT announced.

“Of course, it is important to note that $365,000.00 is actually going to be paid by the taxpayers who are funding this public university’s negligent decisions.”