US mom sentenced to two years in prison for helping her teenage daughter obtain abortion pills

Jessica Burgess, a resident of Nebraska in the United States, has received a two-year prison sentence for her role in assisting her teenage daughter in obtaining abortion pills. This development occurred after both Jessica and her daughter, Celeste Burgess, faced charges for their collaborative efforts to terminate Celeste’s pregnancy.

According to the New York Times, Jessica Burgess ordered abortion pills online and subsequently supplied them to her 17-year-old daughter, who was in her third trimester of pregnancy at that time. These allegations were confirmed by prosecutors, who also reported that the mother-daughter pair later buried the fetal remains.

The investigation into this case began in April 2022 when concerns arose about Celeste Burgess giving birth prematurely to a stillborn child, which was purportedly buried. As a result of the investigation, Celeste was sentenced to 90 days in jail in July after pleading guilty to removing or concealing human skeletal remains.

In the same month, Jessica Burgess pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including violating Nebraska’s abortion law, providing false information to a law enforcement officer, and removing or concealing human skeletal remains. In the courtroom, Celeste Burgess, who had been previously released, wiped away tears as her mother received her sentence.

Jessica Burgess faced a total of five charges, including one related to a 2010 law that restricts abortion to within 20 weeks after fertilization. It’s worth noting that the investigation into the Burgess family began before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

In August, Facebook’s cooperation with the police investigation sparked outrage and raised concerns that the platform could be exploited as a tool for cracking down on individuals involved in abortion procedures. This case highlights the complex legal and ethical issues surrounding abortion rights, parental involvement, and the role of technology companies in assisting law enforcement in sensitive cases like these.