South Dakota Gov. Christy Noem on Sunday doubled down on her state’s anti-abortion laws when asked about a 10-year-old girl who allegedly became pregnant after being raped.
Noem, noting that abortion is illegal in South Dakota except to save the life of the mother, said the 10-year-old’s “tragic situation” should not be “perpetuated by another tragedy.”
South Dakota is among the few states that immediately enacted trigger laws banning abortion after the Supreme Court’s decision last month overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case.
The exchange between Noem and CNN’s Dana Bash began when the cable anchor asked the governor about a report in the Indianapolis Star on Saturday. The outlet said a 10-year-old in Ohio who was six weeks and three days pregnant had to travel to Indiana for an abortion because she could not have one in Ohio, where the procedure is illegal after six weeks.
Indiana’s abortion ban has not yet gone into effect.
“Because [there also is a] triggering law [in South Dakota] that was passed before you became governor, I wanted you to be clear: Will the state of South Dakota in the future force a 10-year-old in the same situation to have a baby?” Bash asked Noem.
The Republican Regiment replied, “You know what I think is incredible, Dana, about this tragic story?
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem doubled down on her state’s anti-abortion laws on Sunday. CNN
“What’s amazing is that no one is talking about the pervert, the horrible, deranged individual who raped a 10-year-old child,” Noem said. “What do we do with these people who do this to these children?”.
Bash said she agreed with Noem’s comments about the rapist, but added: “Our bodies are our bodies and women are the ones who get pregnant.
“And in this case it wasn’t a woman.” It was a girl, Bash said.
The exchange between Noem and CNN’s Dana Bash began when the cable anchor asked the governor about a report in the Indianapolis Star on Saturday. CNN
Noah said, “This is a child. It is a child.”
Bash asked if the girl should have a “child”.
Noah replied, “Every single life—every single life is precious.
A report says a 10-year-old in Ohio who is six weeks and three days pregnant has to travel to Indiana for an abortion because she can’t get an abortion in Ohio. REUTERS/Megan Jellinger
“This tragedy is horrific. I can’t even imagine. I have never experienced anything like this in my family or myself.”
After a few minutes of back-and-forth about the South Dakota law, Bash asked Noem if she would work to include an exception to cover the 10-year-old’s case.
“In South Dakota today, the law states that abortions are illegal except to save the life of the mother,” Noem said.
Bash insisted, “And you’re going to agree with that, a 10-year-old girl should have a baby?”
Noem said the story will “keep me up at night” and break her heart as a mother and grandmother.
“What I would say is that I don’t believe that a tragic situation should be perpetuated by another tragedy. So there’s one more thing we need to do to make sure we really live a life that says every life is precious, especially innocent lives that have been broken, like that 10-year-old girl,” Noem said. .
The Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade on June 24, saying that it was up to states to decide whether to limit or ban the procedure.
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