Kermit Barron Gosnell

Serial Killer

Kermit Barron Gosnell: Convicted Murders and Other Crimes

Kermit Barron Gosnell was a Philadelphia physician who became one of the most notorious criminal doctors in modern American history. He operated the Women's Medical Society at 3801 Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia. Investigators eventually discovered a clinic marked by dangerous medical practices, poorly trained or unlicensed employees, illegal late-term abortions, improper administration of powerful sedatives, falsified records, and the killing of infants who prosecutors proved had been born alive. On May 13, 2013, a Philadelphia jury convicted Gosnell of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of infants identified in court as Baby Boy A, Baby C, and Baby D. He was also convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of patient Karnamaya Mongar and of numerous additional offenses connected with his clinic.

The Women's Medical Society

Gosnell operated the Women's Medical Society for years in West Philadelphia, treating many patients who were poor or had limited access to other medical services. According to the grand jury investigation, the clinic eventually operated far outside accepted medical standards. Employees without appropriate medical licenses performed important medical tasks, including inserting intravenous lines, administering medication, conducting ultrasounds, and monitoring patients. Former workers testified that Gosnell frequently arrived late in the day while staff members handled patients without adequate supervision. Investigators who entered the clinic during a February 18, 2010 law-enforcement search found conditions that became central to the later criminal case. Authorities found dirty medical equipment, inadequate emergency equipment, fetal remains stored in containers and refrigerators, and cramped passageways that made emergency transport difficult. The investigation had originally focused on allegations that Gosnell was illegally prescribing controlled substances, but what investigators encountered inside the clinic led to a much larger homicide and medical-practice investigation.

The Killing of Infants Born Alive

The most serious allegations concerned infants who were delivered during attempted late-term abortions and showed signs of life outside their mothers' bodies. Clinic workers testified that they saw infants breathe, move their arms or legs, make sounds, or otherwise demonstrate signs of life. According to the grand jury, Gosnell developed a practice in which the spinal cords of these infants were severed with scissors. Employees testified that Gosnell performed the procedure himself and also trained or instructed other workers to do it. The grand jury identified seven infant cases strongly enough to recommend murder charges, although the final trial did not result in seven murder convictions. Several charges were dismissed before the case reached the jury, and Gosnell was acquitted in another infant death. The jury ultimately found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of first-degree murder in the deaths of Baby Boy A, Baby C, and Baby D. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Karnamaya Mongar Age: (41), Date of Death: 2009-11-19

Kermit Gosnell - Wikipedia