Nearly 60 lawmakers urge investigation of ‘D.C. Five’ aborted babies
Nearly 60 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to DOJ urging investigation into the deaths of five aborted fetuses found in 2022 at the home of a pro‑life activist in Washington, D.C. The letter requests a federal inquiry, autopsies, and proper burial for the children, citing possible violations of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act and Partial‑Birth Abortion Ban Act. Lawmakers allege the remains were obtained by a secular anti‑abortion group and that some may have been victims of infanticide or illegal partial‑birth abortion. DOJ acknowledged awareness of the request and said it would review the documents and investigate credible allegations.
2 months ago
Nearly 60 Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche urging a federal investigation into the deaths of five late‑term fetuses—known as the “D C Five”—found in 2022 at the home of pro‑life activist Lauren Handy. The lawmakers allege possible violations of the Partial‑Birth Abortion Ban Act and the Born‑Alive Infants Protection Act, request autopsies, and demand respectful burials for the remains, which are currently held by the D C Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The Department of Justice says it is reviewing the information and will investigate any credible criminal allegations. 1
In 2022, police recovered the remains of at least five aborted fetuses from Handy’s Washington, D C., residence. The secular group Progressive Anti‑Abortion Uprising (PAAU) said it obtained the remains from whistleblowers who feared violations of federal law concerning partial‑birth abortions or failure to care for infants born alive. 1
Doctors who examined the remains reported that one fetus showed deep lacerations to the posterior neck—characteristic of a partial‑birth abortion procedure—while another was estimated to be 28–32 weeks gestational age, roughly the size of a newborn’s granddaughter. 1
Sen. Mike Lee (R‑UT) and Rep. Chris Smith (R‑NJ), joined by nearly 60 GOP lawmakers, urged Acting Attorney General Blanche to “comprehensively investigate the circumstances” and to ensure the children receive proper burials after the investigation. 1
The same lawmakers led an April 8, 2022, letter signed by 69 members of Congress calling for an investigation, which the DOJ did not substantively address. In June 2024, former Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed an “ongoing investigation” during a House budget hearing. 1
The lawmakers cite the 2002 Born‑Alive Infants Protection Act (1 U.S.C. § 8), arguing that the fetuses should have received equal legal protection at any developmental stage. 1
If the lacerations indicate the fetus was alive during the procedure, the case could implicate the Partial‑Birth Abortion Ban Act (18 U.S.C. § 1531), which criminalizes the intentional termination of a living child via partial delivery. 1
The DOJ acknowledged the lawmakers’ request, stating it is reviewing the documents and will investigate any credible criminal allegations. It also noted that it will turn over its findings to Congress once finalized. 1
These developments signal renewed federal scrutiny of the “D C Five” case and could lead to criminal charges if violations of federal abortion statutes are confirmed.
Investigate moral status of aborted fetuses under Catholic doctrine
Under Catholic doctrine, an “aborted fetus” is not treated as something morally equivalent to a non-person. The Church teaches that from conception the child is a human person with an inviolable right to life, so procured abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being and is therefore a grave moral disorder.
The Catechism teaches that “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.”
It further states that from the first moment of existence the human being must be recognized as having “the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.”
John Paul II explains the Church’s reasoning against the claim that early embryos are not personal human life: from fertilization a new human life is begun with its own growth, and the Church teaches that respect as for a person and recognition of personal rights must begin from that same moment.
He also states that even when a precise philosophical/medical discussion exists about the moment of infusion of the soul, the moral condemnation of abortion does not depend on that detail (the Declaration on Abortion explicitly says it leaves aside that question).
The Catechism summarizes a longstanding and unchanging Church teaching: “Direct abortion… is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
It reiterates: “The Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion” and that the teaching “has not changed”.
Evangelium Vitae calls procured abortion “the deliberate and direct killing… of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence, extending from conception to birth.”
Evangelium Vitae emphasizes that the person eliminated is “in no way… an aggressor”—the unborn child is “weak, defenseless”—and is entrusted to the protection of the mother.
So the Church’s moral evaluation does not treat abortion as ending a life that is already morally comparable to a guilty aggressor; rather, it treats it as the killing of the most absolutely innocent.
Evangelium Vitae describes unborn children in the womb as “the personal objects of God’s loving and fatherly providence.”
It also notes that Christian Tradition—and the Church’s consistent moral teaching—regards abortion as a particularly grave moral disorder.
Because the Church teaches that the embryo/fetus is a person from conception and that procured abortion is direct killing of the innocent, the aborted fetus retains full moral standing as an innocent human being; the moral wrong lies primarily in the act that destroys that person.
The Catechism allows prenatal diagnosis only when it respects the life and integrity of the embryo/fetus and is directed toward safeguarding or healing.
It says diagnosis is gravely opposed to the moral law if it is done with the thought of possibly inducing abortion based on results—because then the diagnosis becomes effectively equivalent to choosing death.
A CDF clarification excerpt in the provided materials makes a strong distinction between:
This matters for “moral status” questions because the Church’s condemnation is centered on whether the act is directly intended as killing an innocent human being.
The Catechism teaches that formal cooperation in an abortion is a grave offense and that the Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to the crime of abortion.
It also stresses that the Church’s purpose is not to restrict mercy but to make clear the gravity of the crime and the irreparable harm done to the innocent person and to the parents/society.
In Catholic moral theology, formal cooperation generally means willing participation in the wrongful act (as opposed to merely being indirectly affected). The Catechism’s point here is that responsibility increases when one is not merely an unwilling bystander but is morally participating in the abortion itself.
Catholic doctrine teaches that the unborn child from conception is a human person with inviolable rights, so an aborted fetus is morally an innocent human being killed—not a non-person. Direct/“procured” abortion is therefore judged as a gravely evil act against the moral law, while the Church also makes distinctions in medical practice to prevent actions that directly aim at killing an unborn child.