A lady in El Salvador is likely to be jailed for 20 years for attempted abortion if found guilty, following accusation that she tried to abort the baby of her 70-year-old stepfather who had raped her.

According to the mirror.co.uk, Imelda Cortez has been in custody since April 2017 when doctors suspected that she had tried to terminate the pregnancy.

Reports say the then teenager was rushed to the hospital by her mother following a severe pain and bleeding subsequent to giving birth in the toilet.

It was suspected that Cortez had visited the toilet to allegedly complete the abortion process, but the baby ended up alive and healthy.

While prosecution insists that the alleged attempted abortion is criminal in El Salvador irrespective of whether the pregnancy was as a result of rape, Bertha Maria Deleon, one of her defence lawyers, told the Guardian: “This is the most extreme, scandalous injustice against a woman I’ve ever seen.

She added that: “The state has repeatedly violated Imelda’s rights as a victim.  She’s deeply affected but denied psychological attention.”

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Officials disbelieved Cortez’s claim that she was raped by her abusive stepfather, claiming she had concocted the story to make an excuse for the attempted abortion crime.

However, a nurse reportedly overhead the abuser when he visited the victim in the hospital, threatening to kill her, her siblings and her mother if she reported the abuse.

Meanwhile, DNA examination results have reportedly confirmed the baby girl’s paternity, but the abuser is yet to be charged for the alleged offence.

Further reports say a three-member panel of judges is expected to give a ruling of the case which starts today, in a week.