SAN ANTONIO — The family of Tierra Walker filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Bexar County District Court on Tuesday. The complaint alleges that denials of a life-saving abortion during her pregnancy led to her death from preeclampsia on December 30, 2024.

The lawsuit names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas Medical Board executive director Stephen Brint Carlton, University Health, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, and several physicians as defendants. The named physician defendants include Dr. Breanna Clifton, Dr. Theresa L. Stewart, and Dr. John Franka.

Walker died on December 30, 2024, at the age of 37. She was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. A medical examiner ruled that Walker died of hypertensive heart disease with superimposed preeclampsia.

The lawsuit was filed by Amplify Legal, the litigation arm of the nonprofit Abortion in America, and the Marynell Maloney Law Firm. The filing states that for months, Ms. Walker had been asking for termination of her pregnancy — even though this was a wanted pregnancy — because she did not think she would survive the pregnancy. Tragically, she was right. An abortion at any point during her pregnancy would have saved her life.

The complaint further asserts that "Tierra Walker is dead and those responsible must be held accountable. At every turn, Texas’s political and medical establishments not only failed but actively harmed Ms. Walker. Their deliberate indifference, discrimination, and medical mistreatment ultimately caused her horrific and tragic death." The lawsuit alleges that the defendants' actions violated the U.S. and Texas constitutions. It also alleges that Texas' abortion bans violate a federal law requiring hospitals to provide emergency care regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

Walker had a medical history including obesity, high blood pressure, asthma, and Type 2 diabetes. In 2021, Walker experienced a stillbirth of twins due to complications from preeclampsia. She learned she was approximately eight weeks pregnant during an emergency room visit on September 19, 2024. The lawsuit alleges Walker suffered multiple seizures for the first time in nearly a year in September 2024 and was rushed to the hospital.

The lawsuit alleges that Walker and her family repeatedly requested an abortion as a life-saving measure during her hospitalizations. The complaint states that medical staff refused the abortion requests and told Walker that her baby was fine. The lawsuit alleges that hospital staff did not counsel Walker on abortion as a treatment option or advise her to seek care in another state.

Why It Matters

Texas law prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, with exceptions only for life-threatening conditions. Ken Paxton is a Republican currently running for election to the U.S. Senate. The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 31 in 2025 to clarify when doctors may intervene in high-risk pregnancies.

Timeline

Walker learned she was approximately eight weeks pregnant during an emergency room visit on September 19, 2024. Walker was discharged from University Health on December 27, 2024, after being diagnosed with preeclampsia. Walker was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Walker's son discovered her body on his 15th birthday, three days after her discharge.

What's New

Later reporting includes the assertion that Walker is dead and those responsible must be held accountable. It is alleged that at every turn, Texas’s political and medical establishments not only failed but actively harmed Ms. Walker, and that their deliberate indifference, discrimination, and medical mistreatment ultimately caused her horrific and tragic death. Additional details indicate Walker was discharged from University Health on December 27, 2024, after being diagnosed with preeclampsia.