HOUSTON – A Houston abortion doctor is being investigated by state and county authorities after allegedly performing illegal, late-term abortions.
Dr. Douglas Karpen is being investigated for alleged misconduct at his abortion clinic in northwest Houston, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
The allegations came from three women who say they are former employees of Karpen's clinic. They came forward in a video as a result of anti-abortion group "Operation Rescue's" whistle-blower program. It offers $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of doctors who perform illegal late-term abortions.
It's illegal in Texas to perform abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy, but the women said Karpen did so several times on a daily basis.
"The fetus would still be alive because it was still moving," said whistle-blower Deborah Edge, explaining how she says many of the procedures were done.
The women said Karpen also put his patients at risk by delivering large, well-formed fetuses for abortion.
"Trying to stitch them back together and send them home with a package of gauze and then they can come back tomorrow so he could pull it out," said Edge. "But never telling the woman, you know, 'Hey. I ripped your cervix.'"