The death of 37-year-old Tierra Walker reportedly marks the fourth such case in Texas.
A Texas mother who pleaded with doctors for an abortion due to her serious medical risks died after being denied care, according to a new investigation by ProPublica. The death of 37-year-old Tierra Walker marks the fourth such case in Texas uncovered by the nonprofit since the state enacted its abortion ban.
“This is the fourth incident ProPublica has reported on,” journalist Kavitha Surana explained, noting earlier cases involving Josseli Barnica, Nevaeh Crain, and Porsha Ngumezi. Surana discussed the findings with KVUE, saying her team has spent more than a year examining maternal deaths in states with abortion bans. “We’ve already uncovered three cases, actually, in Texas and two in Georgia that were related to access to reproductive care.”
Surana said they learned of Walker’s situation through her family, who accompanied her during repeated ER and prenatal visits. “They were able to witness the deterioration of her health,” she said, adding that Walker “was very concerned about her health” as her seizures continued, her blood pressure spiked, and blood clots developed.
More than a dozen OB-GYN experts reviewed Walker’s medical records for ProPublica. Surana said the specialists agreed that standard care would have included repeated counseling about her risks and the option to end the pregnancy at any point for health reasons. Instead, Walker “was dismissed,” her family told reporters.
Even as her condition grew more precarious, Texas law left physicians uncertain about their ability to intervene. “These laws don’t leave a lot of space… they don’t have exceptions for health risks,” Surana said. Doctors, she added, fear the state’s severe criminal penalties—up to 99 years in prison and loss of licensure.
Walker ultimately died from preeclampsia, compounded by an enlarged heart, fluid buildup, and kidney damage. “She wasn’t even truly aware of how risky her pregnancy had become,” Surana noted.
Texas lawmakers recently passed legislation intended to give physicians more room to use medical judgment, but the measure took effect after Walker’s death. When ProPublica asked the bill’s authors whether it would cover conditions like Walker’s, none responded. Only one Democratic lawmaker replied, saying the reforms “didn’t go far enough.”
Walker leaves behind a 14-year-old son, whom she worried she might never see grow up, her family said.
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Source: Black Enterprise
