Charges Dropped Against Texas Woman for 'Self-Induced Illegal Abortion': 'Not a Criminal Matter'


Lizelle Herrera

A 26-year-old woman accused of committing "self-induced illegal abortion" was taken into custody on Thursday by the Starr County Sheriff's Department in Texas, however, her charge has since been dropped.

Lizelle Herrera was arrested on a murder count, according to a statement provided by Sheriff's Maj. Carlos Delgado, the Associated Press reports. She remained jailed until Saturday in Rio Grande City, Texas, when she was released on a $500,000 bond.

On Sunday, District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez announced the charge had been dropped via a statement posted on Facebook.

"Prosecutorial discretion rests with the District Attorney's office, and in the State of Texas a prosecutor's oath is to do justice," the statement read. "Following that oath, the only correct outcome to this matter is to immediately dismiss the indictment against Ms. Herrera."

Allen Ramirez also noted in the statement that "Ms. Herrera did not commit a criminal act under the laws of the State of Texas" and acknowledged "the events leading up to this indictment have taken a toll on Ms. Herrera and her family."

The arrest comes after Texas passed an abortion law last year banning the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, while awarding $10,000 to private citizens who prove that an abortion provider has violated the law.

PEOPLE has reached out to County Starr Sheriff's Department for comment.

Following her arrest, sheriff officer Delgado said Herrera was "served with an indictment on the charge of Murder after Herrera did then and there intentionally and knowingly cause the death of an individual by self-induced abortion," per the AP.

No further details will be released until at least Monday, as the case remains under investigation.

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