Rosa Hernández Wants To Get Justice For Daughter Esperancita
Rosa Hernández blames an abortion ban for her daughter’s death
“The abortion ban kills women,” she explained. “My daughter’s health was deteriorating but treatment never arrived. They were only focused on the pregnancy. I insisted that I wanted medical treatment for my girl because she was 16 years old. When she fell into critical condition she was nicknamed Esperancita (little hope).”
In July 2012, Hernández took her feverish daughter, Rosaura, to the hospital. They were told that she had been pregnant for a few weeks and had a problem in her blood. After 15 days in the hospital Hernández was told that Rosaura had leukemia.
In the Dominican Republic, abortion is a criminal act, and offenders can face years of jail time if convicted. So, while Hernández insisted on chemotherapy for her daughter, she was denied because of the hospital’s concern for the pregnancy. By the time they eventually started the treatment, Rosaura’s health had deteriorated too much. She passed away on August 17, 2012 at only 16 years old.
Hernández has since shared her story and is hoping for a vote that can save the lives of young women like her daughter.
“I fight because there are many women, mothers and adolescents who went through what I’ve been through,” she explained.
