COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A 10-year-old Ohio girl continues to be the focus of unwitting focus of the nation’s abortion debate.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) says he will be looking into the licensure of the physician who provided the abortion services to the victim who made national headlines after she travelled to Indiana for the operation.

Columbus Police arrested 27-year-old Gerson Fuentes who made his first court appearance Wednesday.
Police say Fuentes confessed to the rape but haven’t been able to conduct a criminal background check on him because he is an undocumented immigrant.

Democrats are hoping this heartbreaking story galvanizes abortion rights advocates to head to the polls in an election year that was expected to be a red wave in Ohio prior to the Roe v. Wade reversal

Anti-abortion politicians are now expected to go on the record about whether they support extreme restrictions. Ohio’s current heartbeat law recognizes the health of the mother as the only exception for an abortion.

But Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman is at odds with GOP state lawmakers on the issue, especially given this recent case.

“It’s just absolutely horrible. I can’t imagine that happening,” Portman said. “I believe in the exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother in terms of my pro-life stance. And yeah, I believe in the sanctity of life and I think most Americans do. But there are some cases where there needs to be exceptions but my heart goes out to that to that family and obviously that little girl, and its just absolutely horrendous what happened.”

There is also bill pending at the Ohio Statehouse that would go beyond the heartbeat law, outlawing abortion from the moment of conception.