A Texas woman has been arrested on murder charges after she allegedly terminated her own pregnancy through a "self-induced abortion," according to authorities.
Lizelle Herrera was arrested Thursday by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office and was subsequently charged with the murder of her unborn child. She is being held on a $500 thousand bond.
A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told ValleyCentral.com that Herrera was arrested after officials became aware that she "intentionally and knowingly cause[d] the death of an individual by self-induced abortion."
It remains unknown how far along Herrera was in her pregnancy when she performed the procedure.
The case is currently under investigation, according to the local news outlet.
Texas: A Starr County woman has been charged with murder after Texas authorities say she performed a “self-induced abortion.” https://t.co/MVVKaBzf9u
— KAMR Local 4 News (@KAMRLocal4News) April 9, 2022
Texas' heartbeat law enacted in September prohibits abortions after a heartbeat is detected, which is typically around six weeks of pregnancy. The law also allows private citizens to sue people believed to be aiding and abetting the procedure, including doctors, people who fund a woman's abortion and anyone who drives a woman to get the procedure. The U.S. Supreme Court and Texas Supreme Court have both ruled against efforts to overturn the Texas abortion law.
It is not clear whether the state's heartbeat law applies to Herrera's case.
Pro-choice activists on Saturday protested Herrera's arrest outside the jail where she is being held.
A protest is underway outside the Starr County Jail where Lizelle Herrera remains in custody. Herrera was arrested and charged with murder for “self-induced abortion.”
— FRANCO (@ocnarfjimenez) April 9, 2022
“She wasn’t the first and she won’t be the last,” a supporter said. #RGV pic.twitter.com/Unu1hrGmSg
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