November 23rd 2025.
A heartbreaking and tragic story has come to light in Texas. It involves a 37-year-old mother, Tierra Walker, who passed away after being denied necessary medical care. As reported by ProPublica, a nonprofit organization, this marks the fourth such case since Texas implemented its strict abortion ban.
It all began in 2024 when Walker started experiencing unexplained seizures during her pregnancy. With a history of preeclampsia, a dangerous condition that had caused her to lose twins before, she turned to her medical team for help. She asked if ending the pregnancy could protect her health, but to her dismay, she was refused. KVUE, a news outlet, confirmed this.
Fast forward two months, and Walker's teenage son found her unresponsive in her room on his birthday. It was a devastating and tragic moment for the family. Walker was only 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her passing.
Journalist Kavitha Surana shared her findings with KVUE, shedding light on the previous cases of Josseli Barnica, Nevaeh Crain, and Porsha Ngumezi. Surana and her team have been investigating maternal deaths in states with abortion bans for over a year now. "We've already uncovered three cases, actually, in Texas and two in Georgia that were related to access to reproductive care," she said.
According to Surana, Walker's family informed them about her situation. They were by her side during her repeated visits to the ER and prenatal appointments. They saw firsthand the decline in her health. "They were able to witness the deterioration of her health," Surana shared. She also mentioned that Walker was deeply concerned about her well-being as her seizures continued, her blood pressure rose, and she developed blood clots.
ProPublica sought the expertise of over a dozen OB-GYN experts who reviewed Walker's medical records. They all agreed that standard care for her condition would have included counseling about her risks and the option to terminate the pregnancy at any point for health reasons. However, that was not the case for Walker. Her family told reporters that she was dismissed and not given the proper care she needed.
Unfortunately, the laws in Texas left doctors uncertain about their ability to intervene. "These laws don't leave a lot of space... they don't have exceptions for health risks," Surana explained. She added that physicians fear the severe criminal penalties imposed by the state, which includes up to 99 years in prison and loss of licensure.
Walker's cause of death was determined to be preeclampsia, exacerbated by an enlarged heart, fluid buildup, and kidney damage. "She wasn't even truly aware of how risky her pregnancy had become," Surana revealed.
It is worth noting that Texas lawmakers recently passed a bill that aimed to give doctors more leeway in using their medical judgment. However, it only took effect after Walker's passing. When ProPublica reached out to the bill's authors to ask if it would cover conditions like Walker's, none responded. Only one Democratic lawmaker replied, stating that the reforms "didn't go far enough."
Walker's family is devastated by her passing, and her 14-year-old son is left without a mother. They shared that she worried she might not see him grow up. It is a tragic reminder of the importance of reproductive health protections and access to safe and legal abortion. As the fight for abortion rights continues, it is crucial to keep these stories in mind and to advocate for the well-being of all women.
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