Due to the US Supreme Court's overturning of Roe vs Wade, a landmark 1973 ruling that guaranteed abortion rights across the country, a 10-year-old girl, a rape survivor, was denied an abortion in Ohio.
The girl's case became public three days after the apex court's ruling on 24 June, and Ohio's law, that prohibits abortions six weeks into the pregnancy, came into effect.
She is now reportedly heading to the state of Indiana due to the abortion ban in Ohio.
An Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr Caitlin Bernard, said she had received a call from her colleague in Ohio who treats child abuse survivors, reported The Guardian.
Indiana, however, has a special assembly session scheduled in July in which the legislature is expected to impose some sort of ban on abortions.
“It’s hard to imagine that in just a few short weeks we will have no ability to provide that care,” Bernard told the Columbus Dispatch.
During an interview on CNN, Republican governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota, who could be Donald Trump's running mate in 2024, when asked if she would seek to have the law changed if a similar case occured in her state, replied, "I don’t believe a tragic situation should be perpetuated by another tragedy."
"There’s more that we have got to do to make sure that we really are living a life that says every life is precious, especially innocent lives that have been shattered, like that 10-year-old girl," she added.
After the Supreme Court's decision, restrictions on abortions are expected in about half of the states in the country, ruled by the Republican Party.
The 6-3 judgement has sparked protests across the country, with all three justices appointed by Donald Trump - Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett - ruling with the majority.
(With inputs from The Guardian, CNN, and Columbus Dispatch.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)