Even as Tierra Walker’s life was in obvious danger, she was denied an abortion because her fetus was deemed healthy.

The Texas Tribune has the details of Walker’s ghastly ordeal: “During the four months of her pregnancy, Walker suffered seizures, blood clots, and one hypertensive crisis after another that were all signs of preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that results in high blood pressure and death, according to the lawsuit."

“During that time, Walker asked for an abortion but was denied it because although her own health was failing, the lawsuit claims she was told ‘your baby is fine.’ At one point, as many as 90 medical professionals were consulted on Walker’s case before she died, according to ProPublica’s profile on Walker’s death.”

Two months later, her son found her dead on his birthday. An autopsy report confirmed she died from preeclampsia while 20 weeks pregnant. “More than 90 doctors were involved in Walker’s care, but not one offered her the option to end her pregnancy, according to medical records,” ProPublica found in its report on Walker's death last year.

Now, Walker's family is suing U.S. Senate candidate and Attorney General Ken Paxton, Stephen Brint Carlton, executive director of the Texas Medical Board, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and doctors who treated her. The lawsuit blames them for upholding the law that led to Walker's 2024 death, The Texas Tribune reported Thursday.

“The suit argues that the law’s medical emergency exception exists only on paper,” The New York Times said, also reporting on this story. That’s because doctors can face up to 99 years in prison, fines of at least $100,00 and lose their medical license if they perform an abortion that doesn’t meet the narrow exception.

Other, similar lawsuits have been dismissed or blocked by state courts, The Times also reported.

Regardless, it is good to see Walker’s family publicizing the deadly results of Texas’ policy, especially while Paxton is trying to worm his way into the U.S. Senate. Paxton has previously filed lawsuits against providers that prescribe and send abortion pills from states without abortion bans, The Times noted.

But it could not be more obvious that Paxton and other Texas officials care far more about their political power than about the lives of mothers. It just so happens that the state’s biennial maternal mortality report, the first since the draconian abortion ban went into effect, will be delayed until after the midterms this year, thanks to the Texas state legislature, as per The Tribune. The report is usually released “around September 1.”

Clearly, Paxton and his cronies know their beloved legislation is deadly. Rather than make it better, they’re trying to hide the evidence so that he and his MAGA cronies don’t suffer in the election.

That’s all the more reason to be glad Walker’s family is bringing attention to what they have done and will continue to do given half a chance.