The State of Georgia Dehumanizes A Black Mother Into An Incubator

How Georgia’s Abortion Ban Has Turned a Brain-Dead Mother Into a State-Controlled Incubator

In Georgia, it is illegal to harvest the organs of someone who died without their consent. The law honors bodily autonomy even in death. Yet somehow, under Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, a woman declared brain dead has less autonomy than a corpse.

This is not a dystopian horror film. This is the real-life nightmare of Adriana Smith—a 30-year-old Black mother and registered nurse from Atlanta. Let’s Address This.

Adriana Smith, and her three year old son, who reportedly believes his mother is simply sleeping. [Credit: Local News 11Alive]

The Tragedy of Adriana Smith

In early February, Adriana—nine weeks pregnant—developed excruciating headaches. She went to a local hospital, but like far too many Black women in America, her pain was dismissed. She was released with basic medication, when she should have been kept overnight. Hours later, she was rushed back to the hospital—unconscious. By the time doctors diagnosed what was wrong, it was too late. Adriana was brain dead.

This was more 90 days ago.

But the state of Georgia has refused to let her die. In 2019, Georgia’s “Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act,” more accurately described as the “Forced Incubation Law,” was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp. It bans abortions after six weeks—before most people even know they’re pregnant. Because Adriana was nine weeks pregnant when declared brain dead, Georgia doctors—citing the state’s abortion ban—have kept her body artificially alive for over 90 days.

Their goal: to bring the fetus to 32 weeks.

That cruel law has transformed a vibrant nurse and mother into a state-mandated breeding vessel. This isn’t pro-life. This is forced pregnancy. This is reproductive tyranny. And for Black women, this injustice against Adriana Smith is a prime example of why Black women suffer 300% the maternal mortality rate as the national average.

Anti-Abortion Laws Destroys Life

Never mind that the fetus has already been reported to have developmental complications and likely will not survive on its own. Never mind that Adriana’s family is forced to foot the hospital bills for forced life extension they never sought and don’t want. Never mind that Adriana’s wishes, her humanity, and her dignity have been completely erased.

This is all happening because Republicans believe a six-week-old embryo has more rights than the woman who carries it.

This cruelty is by design. And it’s how MAGA operates.

Just a few months ago I wrote about how six white MAGA men in South Carolina proposed a bill to execute women for having abortions. Meanwhile, since the fall of Roe, maternal mortality has skyrocketed. Rape victims are being denied emergency abortions. Pregnant women with nonviable fetuses are being forced to suffer life-threatening infections rather than receive lifesaving care. Such was the horrific and painful death of another Black woman from Georgia, Amber Thurman.

These deaths are the result of deliberate policy choices by extremist MAGA Republicans who care more about controlling women than they do actually listening to healthcare professionals about medical science. And in Adriana Smith’s case, even brain death is not enough for her bodily autonomy to be respected.

MAGA’s war on abortion isn’t about life. It’s about control. We must speak up.

What You Can Do

This is happening on our watch. We must raise our voices and demand change. Lodge your complaint and demand Governor Kemp act to stop this injustice and let Adriana Smith die with dignity, to ensure all medical bills are covered by the state, and to repeal this draconian piece of legislation.

👉 Call Georgia Governor Brian Kemp:

📞 (404) 656-1776

👉 Call the Georgia Department of Public Health:

📞 (404) 657-2700

Then, call the Georgia State Reps who co-sponsored this cruel bill and demand its repeal.

Rep Darlene Taylor, Rep Josh Bonner, Rep Ginny Ehrhart, & Governor Brian Kemp

The LIFE Act was sponsored by these legislators—all Republicans. Contact them and demand repeal. I’ve even provided a sample script below to copy/paste and email them. Note, in addition to the names listed below, Rep Ed. Setzler, Rep. Micah Gravley, Sen. Renee Unterman, and Rep. Jodi Lott all co-sponsored this barbaric bill but are no longer in office. Another example of how MAGA Republicans pass horrific legislation and go on with their lives while society suffers the consequences of their actions.

In any case, the three MAGA Reps still in office are as follows:

• Rep. Darlene Taylor:

  • Email: darlene.taylor@house.ga.gov

  • Office: (404) 463-2246

• Rep. Josh Bonner

  • Email: josh.bonner@house.ga.gov

  • Office: (404) 463-7853

• Rep. Ginny Ehrhart

  • Email: ginny.ehrhart@house.ga.gov

  • Office: (404) 656-5024

Sample Email Script to Lawmakers:

Subject: Repeal Georgia's LIFE Act—Restore Bodily Autonomy

Dear [Legislator’s Name],

I’m writing to demand the immediate repeal or amendment of Georgia’s so-called LIFE Act. The case of Adriana Smith, a brain-dead mother being kept on life support against her and her family’s wishes, is a horrific violation of human rights. No state has the right to deny bodily autonomy, especially in death.

This law is cruel, unconstitutional, and dangerous. It devastates women, disproportionately harms Black women, violates the most basic standards of medical ethics, and turns grieving families into victims of political extremism. It also burdens families with suffocating medical debt.

I urge you to act immediately to restore compassion, dignity, and justice in Georgia law. Repeal the so-called “LIFE” Act immediately and restore justice and humanity.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Conclusion

Adriana Smith deserved care. She deserved to be believed. She deserved dignity in death. Georgia denied her all three. We cannot let this go unanswered.

Raise your voice. Share her story. Fight back. Because what’s happening in Georgia is spreading across this country, and we cannot afford to remain silent.