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Wonder what would have happen if the daughter had just said that she purchased it herself?

I agree that there should be more options for women in this kind of situation. I do not, however, feel bad for this mother. I can't imagine feeling comfortable with buying abortion medication or any medication from some online supplier. And the fact that she said she didn't know it was illegal seems like a cop out. I'm sure if she did any research on the medication she would find plenty of info about it being illegal without a prescription. And if she didn't research it, then it was foolish to buy something she didn't know much about and give it to her child. She should have gone about it the right way and driven to the clinic. It would have been an inconvenience, but it's her job as a parent to make sure her child is safe. Buying illegal medication online is not making sure her child is safe. Thank goodness it was the real medication and not a scam. Who knows what you could come across on the internet. It's a sad situation for the daughter, but I'm sorry, the mother should have known better.

I do agree with the OP that there should be more regulation to prevent people from having access to illegal drugs on the internet. This story seems like just a sliver of the problem. But that doesn't mean we should feel bad for those people who want to take short cuts.

i think it's irresponsible for this mom to have purchased drugs online for her child. it was not done under doctor's orders and who knows what she could have been buying. prescription grade drugs are not something i would mess with.

@ChitownRo: I felt the same way reading this. I haven't heard of, nor can I imagine, other grey-market drug sales being criminalized like this.

Perhaps a parent would've faced some charges for providing other grey-market pharm to a child, but, the sentence this poor mom got is clearly tied to judgement about the fact that it was an abortifacient.

If she had coerced or forced her daughter to end the pregnancy, that would be one thing. But, everything I've read about this case indicates that the daughter wanted the abortion.

I wonder if anyone who is criticizing her choice to purchase grey-market medication has ever given leftover pain medication (or sleep medication, or anti-anxiety meds...) to a friend or family member. I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV!), but, I think that has the same legal culpability as purchasing from an online distributor without an Rx.

@lilyofthewest: well, said, ITA.

Clearly this wasn't about a simple shortcut. It's about women's options being restricted. The closest clinic is 75 miles away, there's a 24-hour waiting period, access to the medication is prohibitively expensive. Believe it or not, plenty of people can't afford to take a day of work for some forced "waiting period" regarding a decision they've certainly thought about a LOT already. And they definitely can't afford to shell out hundreds for meds. I'm not going to judge this woman for what she did -- she's trying to help her daughter and did what she thought was best. I am judging all of the people who are responsible for making her and her daughter feel like they have no safer options. I guess anyone judging this woman's choice would also have not felt sympathy for women harmed during back-alley abortions, which is sad. I can't imagine the fear someone would feel when faced with an unplanned pregnancy and so few ways to deal with it and so little support. Women's safety is simply not a priority in this country while options are so limited. And this poor woman is paying the price.

I'm conflicted on this. Who doesn't know purchasing medication without a script is illegal. Even contact lenses require a prescription. I don't think people should be thrown in jail for purchasing these things online and taking it themselves. It's not l I kept she bought extra to sell. Giving it to her daughter seems fine since the mom would have to sign off on her care anyway.

Doesn't each state have a health insurance plan for children whose parents cannot afford health insurance? No doubt this family felt they had limited options. Access to a safe & legal abortion was financially prohibitive.

Too bad the mom and daughter did not know miscarriages are crazy painful because they probably would have avoided the ER.

@ChitownRo: unless men are seeking treatment for side effects of illegally purchased Viagra, I don't see how this is a fair comparison. The hospital staff has a duty to report.

I don't' agree with purchasing prescription drugs online, however I think her sentencing is extremely harsh and the punishment does not fit the crime. You are taking this mother away from her 11 year old daughter when she is a first time offender, she should have been on probation. But instead they give probation to the drug dealers and people committing assault or drinking and driving...makes no sense to me. What a joke trying to make an example out of this mother, it's disgusting.

@lilyofthewest: Right or wrong what the mom did was illegal and she was caught. Just because something is common- giving away or selling unused medication or buying it online to avoid a trip to a doctor doesn't make it legal.

Do we know the normal sentencing guidelines for this particular crime/ circumstances to know for certain if the mom's sentence is too harsh?

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I don't know if there are formal guidelines about it. Anybody who does? The only cases that I know of personally involved fines only, no jail time.

Edited to add: or no consequences whatsoever. Patients tell doctors and nurses about illicit/use acquisition of meds all the time. It is unusual for me to have a work day without several such disclosures.

Nope. Our duty to report is if they are posing a clear risk to the life or immediate safety of themselves or a minor under their care. Some jurisdictions do have a much broader duty to report illegal activities, not sure if illegal drug use is included anywhere. I really don't know how I would have proceeded if I had been involved in treating this young woman. Some of the reporting has seemed to indicate that she was treated exclusively for pain management; other reports indicated more treatment was needed and that there was real danger to her well-being.