U.S.

Woman imprisoned for giving illegal abortion pills to daughter

/ AP

DANVILLE, Pa. - A Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to prison for helping to end her teen daughter's pregnancy by giving her pills purchased online.

The (Bloomsburg) Press Enterprise reports that 39-year-old Jennifer Ann Whalen of Washingtonville was sentenced Friday to nine to 18 months behind bars after pleading guilty to performing an illegal abortion.

Whalen bought the pills from a European drug firm after the girl had gotten pregnant, but did not want to have the child. Whalen told authorities they couldn't find a local clinic to perform an abortion, and the girl had no insurance to pay for a hospital stay.

The girl took the pills and wound up hospitalized with extreme abdominal pain.

Whalen's attorney, Michael Banks, says his client understands "her decision was poor."

First published on September 7, 2014 / 4:52 PM EDT

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