A Nebraska woman has been sentenced for helping her teenage daughter obtain an illegal abortion and dispose of the fetal remains. Jessica Burgess, 42, pleaded guilty to providing an abortion after 20 weeks of gestation, false reporting, and tampering with human skeletal remains. Her daughter, Celeste Burgess, now 18, pleaded guilty to removing, concealing, or abandoning a dead body.
The case began in April 2022 when a Norfolk Police detective received a tip about a miscarriage and subsequent burial. Medical records revealed Celeste Burgess was over 23 weeks pregnant at the time of the abortion, well past Nebraska's 20-week legal limit. Investigators discovered that Jessica Burgess had ordered abortion pills online. Following the abortion of the 29-week-old fetus, the mother and daughter burned and buried the remains.
This case marked the first time the Madison County Attorney had charged someone with performing an illegal abortion. Nebraska law prohibits abortions after 20 weeks, and a new law signed in May further restricts abortions to 12 weeks. Jessica Burgess faces two felony counts and one misdemeanor. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 22nd. Celeste Burgess, charged as an adult, faces up to two years in prison and will be sentenced on July 20th.
Incriminating Facebook messages between the mother and daughter, obtained via a search warrant, revealed discussions about the abortion and destroying evidence. The messages detailed Celeste Burgess's desire to terminate the pregnancy and her mother's acquisition of abortion pills along with instructions for their use. A 22-year-old man who assisted in burying the fetus pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and received probation.
