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More Fetal Remains Tied To Deceased Illinois Doctor Who Performed Abortions

Additional fetal remains were discovered during a search of stored vehicles belonging to a deceased Illinois doctor who had performed abortions in neighboring Indiana clinics, according to investigators.

After Dr. Ulrich Klopfer died at the age of 79 in September, 2,246 medically preserved fetal remains in small plastic bags were discovered in his Chicago home by his wife who alerted authorities.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who is leading an investigation, told reporters late Wednesday that more remains were found in one of eight cars Klopfer stored on a business property in the Chicago area.

"In one of the vehicles' trunk compartment — a late 1990 Mercedes-Benz — there were five plastic bags and one box that contained numerous medically preserved fetal remains," Hill said.

As NPR's Sarah McCammon reports, the first remains discovered last month have been transported back to Indiana, where they will receive what Hill describes as a respectful burial.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Richard Gonzales is NPR's National Desk Correspondent based in San Francisco. Along with covering the daily news of region, Gonzales' reporting has included medical marijuana, gay marriage, drive-by shootings, Jerry Brown, Willie Brown, the U.S. Ninth Circuit, the California State Supreme Court and any other legal, political, or social development occurring in Northern California relevant to the rest of the country.