Family of San Antonio woman who died during pregnancy sues Ken Paxton, alleging abortion care was denied.

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The family of Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old San Antonio woman who died while about 20 weeks pregnant, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, state medical officials, health institutions and doctors.

The lawsuit, filed in Bexar County District Court, centers on the family’s claim that abortion care could have saved Walker’s life and that Texas abortion restrictions contributed to the care she received. Those claims are allegations made in the complaint and have not been decided by a court.

Walker died on December 30, 2024. The lawsuit has brought renewed attention to questions about how Texas abortion restrictions are interpreted during serious pregnancy complications and how medical providers navigate emergencies.

For families across San Antonio and throughout Texas, the case spotlights a continuing debate over the relationship between state law, medical decisions, and patient care during complicated pregnancies.
According to the lawsuit, Walker’s family believes her medical condition reached a point where pregnancy termination should have been considered a life-saving option.

The complaint argues that Texas restrictions created uncertainty for medical professionals and affected the care Walker received.
The family’s allegations include claims that Walker experienced seizures, hypertension, blood clots, and worsening pregnancy complications.

The family says they repeatedly requested an abortion or termination of the pregnancy.
However, reporting reviewed by CBS News found that more than 6,500 pages of medical records did not document a request for an abortion or an offer of one by doctors. That difference between the family’s account and the available medical records is one of the issues surrounding the case.

The lawsuit also alleges that providers focused on the fetus’s condition while Walker’s health worsened, including claims that family members were told, “Your baby is fine.” The statement is part of the family’s allegations and has not been established as a court finding.

Walker’s autopsy, according to CBS News, found hypertensive cardiovascular disease and preeclampsia, along with an enlarged heart, severe fluid buildup in the lungs, and kidney damage.
The lawsuit names several defendants, including Paxton, Texas Medical Board Executive Director Stephen Brint Carlton, UT Health San Antonio/University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, medical providers and other local health and government defendants.

The plaintiffs include Walker’s estate and surviving family members. Bloomberg Law identified LaTanya Walker as the person who filed on behalf of the estate and family. Amplify Legal and the Marynell Maloney Law Firm represent the family.

The case seeks monetary damages and asks for a ruling challenging Texas abortion restrictions under the Texas Constitution. The complaint also raises claims involving federal civil-rights law, the federal emergency-care statute EMTALA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Texas Constitution.

The legal claims remain unresolved.
Texas law includes narrow exceptions allowing abortion when a pregnant patient’s life is threatened. The Texas Medical Board has stated that physicians dealing with a condition that is or may become an emergency do not have to wait until a patient faces immediate danger before administering necessary care, which can include pregnancy termination in some situations.

Walker’s final emergency-room visit occurred on December 27, 2024, when records showed a diagnosis of preeclampsia, according to CBS News. She was discharged that night and later found unresponsive at home.
Medical experts have offered various perspectives on the case. CBS medical correspondent Dr. Céline Gounder said clinical guidelines would generally call for admission, stabilization, and seizure-prevention treatment in a situation like the one described.

She also said termination would ordinarily be indicated if the fetus was too premature to survive. That assessment is an outside medical opinion and is not a court ruling or state medical-board determination.

A doctor affiliated with the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists criticized the care described in the filing as likely preventable. Still, they disputed that Texas abortion law was the cause.

The disagreement reflects the pending questions that the lawsuit will address.
Officials and organizations named in the lawsuit have responded in different ways. Paxton’s office had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting. University Health said it could not comment on individual patients or pending litigation, and said its priority is medically appropriate, prompt care consistent with applicable law and patient privacy.

The Texas Medical Board provided information on its position on emergency care rules but declined to give a broader substantive response to Texas Tribune.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales’ office told CBS News that he has not prosecuted abortion cases and would review referrals individually under fairness and justice principles.

The lawsuit comes as Texas has continued to address questions about abortion law and medical decision-making. Texas later enacted Senate Bill 31, commonly called the Life of the Mother Act, to clarify when physicians can intervene. Texas Tribune reported that the law says a patient does not need to be in an “imminent” crisis, and Texas Medical Board training was finalized in early 2026.

Walker’s lawyers say the change would not have prevented her death, while the wider legal questions remain part of the ongoing case.
At this stage, the lawsuit has been filed, but no court ruling, factual findings, damages award, or defendant answer has been reported. The case will now move through the legal process, where the claims and responses from those involved will be examined.