Woman Reports Being Drugged and Aborted Against Her Will After Last Minute Change of Heart
Operation Rescue says case reflects broader pattern of neglect in Illinois' abortion industry
DES PLAINES, IL — A shocking report has surfaced regarding a 2021 incident at American Women’s Medical Center (AWMC), where a woman says she was drugged and forced to undergo an abortion after changing her mind about the procedure.
The case came to light this summer through documents obtained by Operation Rescue, a pro-life watchdog group. According to a police report filed in June 2025, the woman recounted arriving at AWMC intending to have an abortion but ultimately deciding against it. When she attempted to leave, a male doctor and female nurse restrained her and injected a sedative into her arm. She says she was then placed on an operating table and her pregnancy was terminated while she was incapacitated.
The report notes that the woman could not provide the exact date of the incident or the name of the physician involved, though she was able to give a physical description. Police classified the case as a “suspicious incident,” and records show no indication that investigators followed up at the clinic.
The delay in reporting, the woman told officers, stemmed from fear and isolation: “Nobody around me supported me.” She also said her attempts to obtain legal help were unsuccessful, with some attorneys pointing to statutes of limitation that had already expired.
Sarah Neely, Chief Operating Officer of Operation Rescue, described the account as both credible and deeply troubling. “Illinois has created an environment where abuses like this are not only possible, but inevitable,” she said. “Women are treated as disposable, while abortion providers operate without accountability.”
Illinois has some of the most permissive abortion laws in the country. The state no longer requires abortion facilities to be licensed or inspected, and recent legislation expanded legal protections for abortionists and distributors of abortion drugs. Critics argue these measures have left women more vulnerable to injury and abuse.
Operation Rescue has documented at least 16 abortion-related injuries at Illinois clinics so far in 2025. In one case earlier this year, a patient nearly died during a botched late-term procedure, yet the abortionist involved faced only a minor fine and was allowed to continue practicing.
Troy Newman, the organization’s president, said the Des Plaines case underscores a larger problem. “Illinois leaders call this state a safe haven for reproductive rights,” he said. “In reality, it has become a safe haven for abortionists who harm women with no fear of consequences.”
While the woman’s allegations remain unresolved, Neely says pro-life organizations are ready to help if she comes forward. “If she contacts us, we can connect her with attorneys and advocates who actually care about protecting her,” she said.
