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New baby joy for 'shocked but delighted' teen Miss D

'My second child will never replace Jasmin'
Friday September 28 2007


MISS D, the teenager at the centre of a High Court abortion battle with the HSE earlier this year, is pregnant again.


The 17-year-old has also revealed she is considering suing the Health Service Executive (HSE) over their handling of her case, which forced her to go to the High Court to be allowed to travel and induce her severely disabled baby.

She also spoke of her hurt that Pro-Life supporters tried to "buy her off" earlier this year so that she would carry her sick child to term, and of the letters they sent to her.

Speaking exclusively to the Irish Independent she said it was a "shock" to discover she had become pregnant again so quickly. But she and her boyfriend of three years are delighted.

"I cried when I found out," she said. "It was a surprise, I know I said I wanted to get pregnant but I didn't want it that soon. Everyone was telling me I should wait, give it a few more years, you've your whole life ahead of you. But I don't regret it, I can't wait."

But she said she is still haunted by the court battle in May of this year, and the subsequent messages she received from some Pro-Life groups.

Force

The young girl, who was in the care of the HSE at the time of her last pregnancy, had been told by health chiefs she would be detained by force if necessary if she tried to travel to England to abort her baby, who was suffering from the fatal brain condition anencephaly. The condition meant the baby girl, who was named 'Jasmine', would not survive outside the womb.

She went to court to be allowed to travel -- but she later found out that an account had been set up in her name in the hope of encouraging her to carry the child to term.

"They [Pro-Life members] got in touch with my social workers when I was actually over in England," she recalled.

"My social worker phoned my Mam . . . they were trying to buy me off, they were offering me money in a Miss D account in the AIB not to go through with it. I don't know how much it was but it was supposed to be a large amount. But I wouldn't have accepted it."

She said she blames the HSE for the publicity surrounding her very personal tragedy, and says it would never had gone to the courts only for their actions.

"Just thinking back, it was terrible what they [the HSE] put me through," she said.

"I blame them, nothing got to do with the baby, but for the publicity and everyone knowing my business."

The teenager said it was "humiliating" for the public to hear about private details of her life and her relationships. She confirmed that a senior HSE official asked her to meet him after she returned from England to "give them advice on the next time it came around".

"But I think it was just the legal issues he wanted to sort out. So my solicitor said no."

She said she is currently considering suing the HSE over their handling of the incident but said she wants to wait until she is 18 before doing so.

Miss D also lashed out at the health body, saying they haven't offered her any support since her ordeal.

She is no longer under the care of the HSE and is currently living in an apartment in north Leinster

"We were actually going to be homeless at one stage," she said.

"I said I wouldn't even have my boyfriend live with me if they could help me get my own place. But they just said if we were to do that for every teenager they'd have everyone in care."

The HSE confirmed Miss D is no longer in their care and refused to comment any further on the matter.