Suspect named in rape case where a 10 year-old crossed into Indiana to have medical abortion
27 year-old Gerson Fuentes, of Columbus, Ohio, has been arrested for the rape and impregnation of a 10 year-old girl. The case has gained global attention, as it happened in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision which reverted Ohio’s abortion law, forcing the young girl to cross state lines in the ultimate decision to abort the pregnancy in the state of Indiana.
Fuentes, held on a $2 million bond, complied with an issued search warrant for his DNA, and also admitted to having intercourse with the victim on at least two occasions.
Columbus Police first learned of the matter after being notified by Franklin County, Ohio Children Services office in late June. According to court papers, the child underwent the medical abortion in Indianapolis, on June 30th. While Ohio law mandated that law enforcement be made aware of the situation by Child Services, it is also Ohio state law which bans the abortion procedure following the 6th week of pregnancy.
Robert Loviscek buried, following tribute procession
53 year-old Robert Loviscek, the Logistics Officer for the Bloomington Fire Department. was laid to rest yesterday at Bloomington’s Valhalla Memory Gardens, following a long procession through Bloomington. The procession included Officials and Firefighting vehicles from companies all over the state of Indiana. Loviscek worked for BFD for 20 years and served as President of the local Firefighters’ Union. (Photos courtesy of Jeremy Hogan)
IU neuroscientists to study effects of marijuana use during adolescence with $2M NIH grant
The legalization of marijuana in several states brings with it the greater possibility that younger populations will use marijuana. Indiana University researchers are specifically focused on studying cannabis use in adolescents ages 12 to 14, as use during this critical period of brain development could impair working memory and increase the risk of psychosis later in life.
Neuroscientists in the IU Gill Center for Biomolecular Science recently received more than $2 million from the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse to use mice to better understand the impact of cannabis use during adolescence, with a goal of developing therapies to treat adverse effects in humans.
Studies seem to indicate that heavy use of cannabis with high THC, particularly cannabis use that begins between ages 12 and 14, increases the risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders from two- to five-fold. In states where marijuana is legal, many dispensaries sell edible products such as chocolate and cookies, which have appeal to our youth.
IU Scientists have developed a new method to use mice to better understand the effects of cannabis use during adolescence. The researchers have chosen to work with mice with diverse genetic backgrounds to mimic human diversity. Unlike in past studies, they’ll also be using both male and female mice to see if there are sex-dependent differences in THC effects. They will be studying the underlying molecular changes that account for behavior changes, like working memory deficits.
This Week in Hoosier History
1946 – Indiana colleges and universities prepared for a large influx of new students as veterans, home from World War II, took advantage of the GI Bill. Enrollments were 70 percent higher than pre-war peaks. School officials said that preferences were being given to Hoosiers and that most out-of-state applicants could not be accepted. (Pictured: Headline from the Muncie Star, July 16, 1946)
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