The Beltway Baby Butcher Worked Mere Steps Away from the White House
115 babies discovered discarded in a box—including several fully formed babies. The murderer has not been prosecuted.
Editor's note: This article contains extremely graphic images that the reader will find abhorrent. We included the images to illustrate the sickening horror perpetrated in the abortion clinic in question. Readers should proceed with caution.
In 2022 anti-abortion activists discovered the remains of 115 dead babies, including 5 apparent 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions. These children, including a fully formed baby boy named Christopher X, were potentially born alive. Rather than investigating the murderers, the FBI arrested the pro-life activist who found the bodies and sent her to prison.
A Traumatic Discovery
Lauren Handy and Terrisa Bucovinac went to the Washington Surgi Clinic in D.C. on March 25, 2022, intending to provide sidewalk counseling to mothers seeking an abortion. When they arrived, they saw Curtis Bay Medical Waste picking up biohazard boxes. After explaining to the worker that they believed the box contained fetal remains, he agreed to give Handy and Bucovinac the babies to provide a funeral and burial.
Handy and Bucovinac took the box to Handy's apartment and opened it together with a Catholic deacon they called for guidance. In an interview from jail with Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America, Handy described the haunting scene: perfectly formed human babies' "mangled bodies ripped to shreds, their skin ripped off their bodies, her one eye open, her skull crushed." It appeared at least 3 of the 5 late-term babies were born alive and gruesomely killed.
WARNING: Graphic imagery
Baby Christopher X; Image credit Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising
Handy tried unsuccessfully to get an autopsy on the babies but was eventually told the medical examiner would pick them up from her home. She hoped an investigation would ensue. Handy stayed with a friend until the day the medical examiner was scheduled to come. When Handy went back to her apartment, the FBI had arrived to arrest her.
Rather than seeking information on the murderer, the Biden FBI targeted Handy for a protest she participated in at the same clinic 2 years earlier. She was sentenced to prison and recently pardoned and released by President Trump.
(Read more: The Irreligious Can Oppose Unlimited Abortion, Too)
A Former Abortion Doctor Analyzes the Evidence
Dr. Kathi Aultman, a former abortionist, board certified OB-GYN, and associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, provided her expert medical opinion to Restoration News. She reviewed the videos and photos of the babies found in the box and the undercover video of Santangelo describing his procedures. Dr. Aultman believes "it is likely that Christopher X underwent an induction abortion and was either killed at the start of the procedure by having his cord cut or allowed to die after the procedure." She stated, "babies survive induction abortions 50% of the time if a feticide is not used." Santangelo admits to not using injections to kill the babies prior to the procedure.
Since baby Phoenix's cord was intact, Dr. Aultman reveals he or she was likely left to die after the induction abortion. Baby Harriet, found with one eye open, her skull crushed, and brain sucked out, "was the victim of an intact D & E [dilation and extraction]" and "if she were alive at the beginning of the procedure it would be considered [an illegal] partial birth abortion," says Dr. Aultman. She further stated that babies Holly and Angel were "obviously aborted using a D&E (dismemberment abortion)" and if they were alive during the dismemberment they "would have felt the pain of their limbs being torn off until they expired from blood loss or shock."
Photo from Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising
Dr. Aultman asserts at least 4 and possibly all 5 "babies were beyond the age of viability and likely would have survived outside the womb." Her first thought when seeing baby Christopher X: "This baby belongs in the nursery."
The D.C. Baby Butcher
In 2012 an undercover journalist—24 weeks pregnant at the time—had an appointment with abortionist Dr. Cesare Santangelo, the owner of the Washington Surgi-Clinic in D.C. where Handy found the mutilated babies. The journalist, posing as a patient, asked probing questions about the abortion procedure and how it would take place.
The conversation that ensued was beyond disturbing.
Santangelo told the journalist, “Hopefully we'll get the pregnancy out intact, but it doesn't always happen that way." He then described the procedure. "I cut the umbilical cord first, wait for the baby to expire, and then we do it that way." The journalist asks if the baby ever moves when it comes out. Santangelo casually replies, "that's why I try and sever the umbilical cord first, and we wait for that to stop pulsing, and this way the fetus is expired first, so it doesn't." The mother asks what happens if the baby is born alive. Santangelo explains they try to prevent that from happening by "taking care of it" before it comes out. He then says that if it does come out alive, "it will expire shortly after birth." The abortionist admits that if he gave lifesaving care to the baby, it could have a 20-30 percent chance at survival. "But "if you don't do anything . . . the chances are much, much less." He confirms he would not provide lifesaving care for the baby.
Video credit: The Michael Knowles Show
Even with video evidence of Santangelo admitting to these atrocities, the Biden administration refused to investigate. This monster continues to operate the Washington Surgi Center, and no doubt has killed many more babies.
Not only is Santangelo a suspected murderer, but he also has past lawsuits for financial troubles. In 2010, the federal government issued a $504,000 judgment against him for unpaid taxes. In 2018, he had another judgment filed against him for nearly $100,000 for failure to pay rent on a business he owns—Classic Motors of Washington D.C.
Too Many Botched Abortions to Count
Even more astonishing—he still retains a medical license after multiple medical malpractice cases, including a woman who died under his care.
In 2010, Santangelo was sued in a wrongful death claim. Rebecca Charland was referred to Santangelo after her baby died in utero around 20 weeks. Court filings show Santangelo did not inform Charland about the high risk of the procedure to remove the baby and Santangelo should've recommended she go to a hospital. According to the lawsuit, he failed to perform lifesaving CPR and neglected a timely call to 911 when the abortion went south—Charland died. Court records indicate the case was dismissed by consent on January 17, 2012. It's assumed a settlement was reached out of court.
In 2012, he was sued again for a botched 25-week abortion when he lacerated and perforated a mother's uterus and cervix causing hemorrhaging. Hospital doctors found "the fetal head free-floating in the patient's abdomen." Hospital doctors could not reach Santangelo to get information about what happened, and according to the lawsuit, Santangelo failed yet again to quickly summon emergency personnel. The mother had to have a hysterectomy and could no longer have children. It appears the case was settled out of court, too.
In 2019, Elizabeth Almeyda sued Santangelo for a botched second trimester abortion that landed her in a life-threatening situation at the hospital. She claimed Santangelo did not provide informed consent regarding potential complications, and he failed to notify her the baby was deceased prior to performing the abortion. Since the baby was deceased, he should've utilized different procedures in a hospital setting. Records indicated he did not have hospital privileges. It appears the case was settled out of court, as well.
In 2020, Santangelo was reprimanded by the Maryland Board of Physicians for not meeting the requirements for continuing medical education. He paid a fine of $2,850 and had to complete the continuing education requirements prior to licensure renewal in 2021.
It's astounding that Santangelo still has a medical license, and the Biden administration punted an investigation.
Hope on the Horizon
Pro-life groups such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) have been pleading for an investigation into these potential crimes. While D.C. has some of the worst abortion laws in the nation which permit abortion until birth, a federal law which prohibits partial birth abortions.
Jamie Dangers with Susan B. Anthony told me it's important to "continue sharing that at least 2 of the babies were brutally killed and it was legal" in D.C. She pointed out that looking at the gruesome pictures of the babies is "a good reminder of the horrors of abortion that take place just blocks from the White House."
These pro-life groups want justice for every baby killed. PAAU has coined the phrase "Justice for the Five" referring to the 5 babies killed who potentially could have survived outside the womb but ended up brutally murdered.
In February 2024, the Biden administration told the D.C. medical examiner they could dispose of the evidence. The babies were no longer needed. Several Congressmen, including Chip Roy (R-TX), demanded the evidence be preserved and the babies remain with the medical examiner.
There is now hope the new Justice Department will open an investigation into these atrocities and hold those accountable for the heinous murders.
(Related: Biden Weaponized the Justice Dept. Against Pro-Life Advocates—Now They’re Speaking Out)