Dawn Ravenell was a bright, musically talented child who loved gospel music and sang with her school glee club and her family's gospel singing group, of which she was the, lead singer. Dawn also sang at the Faith Tabernacle Church in Queens Village, New York City, where her father Preston was the pastor, and her mother Ruth a minister. The Ravenells were a loving, close-knit family of eight, with two adopted children in addition to Dawn and her three biological siblings. As an eighth grade, honor roll student at Junior High School 192 in Hollis, Queens, N.Y, Dawn was truly a delightful and unique child. Indeed, the only problem Mrs. Ravenell could recall was Dawn's pairing off with a steady boyfriend at age 13.
Nobody does that anymore.
So the mother left it at that, and Dawn had a steady 15 year-old boyfriend. Too embarrassed to tell her parents, Dawn confided in a school guidance counselor, who referred her to a Manhattan abortion clinic. Under New York law, as in most states, minors may not have their ears pierced or a stitch inserted without prior parental consent, but they may obtain abortions without the consent or even notification of the parents. Because of Dawn's advanced pregnancy, lamanaria sticks were inserted into her vagina to dilate the cervix for the abortion which was scheduled for the next day. On January 24th, accompanied by her boyfriend, Dawn again took the subway into Manhattan and came to Eastern Women's Center for her abortion.