Massachusetts Abortion Victim’s Mom Comes Forward

Operation Rescue calls on District Attorney to Open Criminal Investigation

By Cheryl Sullenger

Hyannis, MA — Eileen Smith has come forward in order to keep her daughter’s abortion death from being “swept under the rug.” Her 22-year old daughter, Laura Hope Smith, died on September 13, 2007, during an abortion done by Rapin Osathanondh at Women Health Clinic in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Smith told Operation Rescue that she had no idea that her daughter was 13 weeks pregnant and considering an abortion. A friend accompanied Laura to the clinic. Early reports indicated that Laura died of hemorrhage, but Smith says that her daughter died on the abortion table. “There was no bleeding. She stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest,” said Smith.

Ten days after Laura’s death, Smith met privately for one hour at a public place with Osathanondh. He would only meet with Smith alone and refused to allow even allow her husband to accompany her. Osathanondh admitted that Laura died during the abortion but refused to admit he did anything wrong.

Smith told Operation Rescue that the details of her daughter’s death appalled and sickened her, but she could not discuss those details because she is seeking legal action against Osathanondh for killing her daughter.

“My daughter was 22, healthy, and alive when she walked into that clinic,” Smith said. “She didn’t even have a cold. There is no reason for her to be dead.”

Laura was born into abject poverty in Hondurus on May 25, 1985, and was abandoned at an orphanage. An American couple that adopted Laura abused her terribly and gave her up. Laura was then adopted by Tom and Eileen Smith, a Christian family that lovingly raised Laura in the Cape Cod community of Sandwich.

Laura was a 2004 graduate of Upper Cape Tech, majoring in cosmetology, but later realized that profession did not suit her. At the time of her death she was working in retail management. Laura was a born again Christian who was an active member of Calvary Chapel of Sandwich.

Over 600 people attended Laura’s funeral. Since then, at least one young woman has changed her mind about abortion since hearing about what happened to Laura.

Smith told Operation Rescue that two days after Laura’s death, she gave a full interview to the local newspaper, which was scheduled to be published on the day of Laura’s funeral. The article has yet to appear, leading Smith to believe that there are attempts underway to cover up her daughter’s death.

Operation Rescue is urging calls to the local district attorney asking for a formal investigation of Rabin Osathanondh in the abortion death of Laura Hope Smith.