- Police found five fetuses in the home of anti-abortion activist Lauren Handy, say reports.
- Handy's home was investigated after a tip-off regarding potential biohazard material this week.
- In an unrelated case, Handy and eight others were charged with obstructing access to an abortion clinic in 2020.
Police in Washington DC discovered five fetuses in the home of an anti-abortion activist.
Local news station WUSA9 first broke the story when police came out of the home of anti-abortion activist Lauren Handy, 28, a self-styled "Catholic anarchist," carrying multiple red biohazard bags, on Thursday.
"People will freak out when they hear," Handy said at the time, reported the Guardian.
Police were responding to a tip-off regarding potential biohazard material when they found the fetal remains, according to WUSA9.
A press release from the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), where Handy is the head of activism, said they had received the fetuses from a "whistleblower" working at an abortion clinic.
They said the fetuses were evidence of a violation of abortion laws due to supposed late gestational ages.
However, Ashan M. Benedict, Executive Assistant Chief of Police at the Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters at a news conference that the fetuses appeared to have been aborted in accordance with DC law and, therefore, there is no question of related criminal activity.
DC Metropolitan Police confirmed officers found the fetuses at a residence in the 400 block of 6th Street, South East DC. There is currently a pending investigation, a statement sent to Insider said.
PAAU have said that they will answer questions, including who the fetuses belonged to, how they got to the house, and why they were there, at a press conference on Tuesday.
No arrests or charges have been made concerning the discovery of the fetuses.
—PAAU (@PAAUNOW) April 1, 2022
Handy and nine others were separately indicted last week for the occupation of an abortion clinic in 2020, per the BBC. They were charged with two federal civil offenses, Conspiracy Against Rights and Clinic Access Obstruction after they invaded the Washington Surgi-Clinic.
An unsealed indictment explains that Handy called the clinic days before the protest to book an appointment for herself under the name Hazel Jenkins.
When she arrived, she presented as a patient. She was joined by eight other anti-abortion activists who tied their chairs together, and they live-streamed the event and formed an obstruction.
If convicted of these charges, the eight anti-abortion activists could face up to 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and up to $350,000 in fines.