Secret abortion left girl, 14, traumatised, says mother

AN ENGLISH mother whose 14-year-old daughter was allowed to have a secret abortion without her knowledge after talks with school advisers yesterday said it had left the schoolgirl “traumatised”.

Michelle Smith, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, fell pregnant last month and after consultation with a community health worker at school, decided to have an abortion.

Within days, her mother, Maureen Smith, found out what was happening and the teenager changed her mind. However, it was too late as she had taken the first of two pills as part of the chemical abortion process.

Her mother is now furious that despite not having been consulted over the abortion she is now left to pick up the pieces.

Mrs Smith told the Daily Mail: "This is one of the worst things she will go through in her life and I knew nothing about it. I wasn't there to help or protect her.

"If my daughter had been truanting from school or causing trouble in the classroom I would have been informed.

"Yet she can go ahead and have an abortion which will affect her for the rest of her life and I have no say and no rights as a parent."

Michelle, whose identity has been revealed with her mother's consent, was with a steady boyfriend when she discovered she was pregnant. She confided in a community health worker at Brunts School in Mansfield before starting the abortion process.

Her mother only discovered the news when she was told by a passer-by in the street, her solicitor Angela Donen said.

"She didn't become aware of it through school or her daughter but someone who met her in the street," Ms Donen said. "Her view is that how can it be right that she is the mum but she is not told and she is left picking up the pieces.

"The girl clearly did not know what to do or she would not have changed her mind later."

Mrs Smith talked to her daughter and brought the child's father and his mother into the discussion.

Ms Donen said that after talking, the daughter decided she did not want the abortion and they contacted the local hospital. At first they were told she could still have a viable pregnancy despite having taken one of the pills but the next day they discovered the situation was irretrievable.

Ms Donen added: "The mother's point of view is that she understands what the law says but it does not appear to be reflecting what most parents of 14-year-olds would assume would happen in that position.

"My view is that it is very sad at a time when the government is putting more and more responsibility on parents for their children that the school can keep this whole thing secret from a parent."

A spokesman for the school said it had issued a letter to all parents in September to make them aware that community child health workers could be speaking to children.

Nuala Scarisbrick, a trustee of the anti-abortion organisation Life, said: "Fourteen-year-olds are growing fast they need help and the people to do that for them are their parents or health workers or their teachers.

"The teachers may be the first people to know that there is a problem but they should consult the parents in confidence."