Republican lawmakers are urging the FBI to investigate the disturbing case of five aborted babies. The remains are referred to by pro-life advocates as the “DC Five.” Activists found them outside a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic.

 The incident has reignited debate over federal abortion laws and what critics call selective justice under the Biden administration.

Discovery of the 'DC Five' Raises Alarming Questions

The five late-term babies were discovered in March 2022 by members of the secular pro-life group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU).

 According to the activists, they obtained a box from a medical waste truck labeled “Washington Surgi-Clinic,” operated by OB-GYN Dr. Cesare Santangelo. 

Inside the box were the remains of 115 aborted children—five of whom appeared to be in advanced stages of gestation, suggesting potential survivability outside the womb.

Calls for Federal Investigation

In a joint letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) expressed serious concern over the Department of Justice’s handling of the case.

“Under the Biden Administration and the tenure of former Director Christopher Wray, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) departed from its core public safety mission, suffered from senior leadership failures, and refused any real transparency or accountability for its actions,” wrote Roy.

The lawmakers, who chair the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government and the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, continued:

“We remain concerned about the Biden-Harris Administration’s refusal to investigate the circumstances of the case of five aborted children, also known as the D.C. Five, whose remains were allegedly discovered at the Washington Surgi-Clinic in March 2022 by a pro-life advocacy group.”

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Disturbing Condition of the Remains

Activists Lauren Handy and Terrisa Bukovinac, who reportedly retrieved the box, claimed they intended to give the babies a proper burial. The conditions of the five premature infants were described as harrowing. One was said to be fully formed, while another appeared to be decapitated and dismembered.

Despite public outcry, the D.C. Medical Examiner's Office, reportedly at the request of the Department of Justice, declined to perform autopsies and was allegedly ordered to dispose of the bodies. No federal investigation has been announced.

Partial-Birth Abortion Concerns

Pro-life leaders argue that the physical condition of the DC Five—lacerations, torn limbs, and crushed skulls—matches the illegal abortion procedure known as partial-birth abortion. This method, banned under federal law, involves partially delivering a fetus before ending its life by crushing the skull or suctioning the brain.

“The leaders at the press conference demanded action from the federal government to determine whether the babies, often referred to as the ‘D.C. Five,’ were killed in this manner,” according to reports.

Since 2003, partial-birth abortion has been federally prohibited. The Metropolitan Police Department claimed the abortions were legal. Advocates who cite visual evidence suggest the remains indicate partial-birth abortion was used.

Dr. Cesare Santangelo and the Washington Surgi-Clinic

Dr. Santangelo, who runs the clinic at the center of the controversy, denies performing partial-birth abortions. However, Handy reportedly became a pro-life activist after watching undercover footage in which Santangelo stated he would not assist a baby born alive during an abortion.

The allegations and footage have only intensified calls for accountability. 

The D.C. medical examiner’s office has had the remains since 2022. They were scheduled for cremation in February 2024. 

DC Five Investigation on Hold

Public outcry forced the ME to delay the cremations. But there is still no plan for a full autopsy, leaving the fate of the DC Five uncertain.

Dozens of pro-life groups and federal lawmakers are calling for an autopsy and investigation.

For two years, the case has remained largely untouched by federal investigators. Pro-life groups and Republican lawmakers continue to demand transparency and action, asserting that the discovery of the DC Five points to potential violations of federal law and a deeper failure of justice under the previous administration.