AG investigating Planned Parenthood

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Planned Parenthood of Indiana said it is cooperating with the attorney general's office and the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. The agencies are investigating whether two Planned Parenthood counselors broke the law.

A California anti-abortion group released a video tape on the Internet that appears to show that the Planned Parenthood employees did not report what appeared to be child abuse. Live Action Films said it sent a 20-year-old UCLA student into two Indiana Planned Parenthood clinics in Bloomington and Indianapolis and had her pretend to be 13 years old. In both places she says --on tape-- her 31-year-old boyfriend impregnated her.

The film company alleges that both counselors failed to report what appeared to be child abuse to authorities. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is convening a grand jury to investigate the Indianapolis case.

"In this case, the allegation would be that this 13-year-old had had sex with a 31-year-old, which is a crime. And that should have been reported to a law enforcement agency," said Marion County Chief Deputy Prosecutor David Wyser.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana CEO Betty Cockrum said she is cooperating with the prosecutor's and the attorney general's offices in their investigations. She said both employees were suspended, one was later fired, the other quit. They could face misdemeanor charges.

Cockrum added that she does not believe that the incident is a more widespread problem. Cockrum said Planned Parenthood policy calls for counselors to notify the Department of Child Services immediately if they learn that a child under the age of 14 is sexually active.

The undercover tape also appears to show the Indianapolis counselor advising the 13-year-old that she could get an abortion in another state without getting parental consent. Prosecutor Wyser said that is not illegal.