Image: L – Arizona Flag (Shutterstock) | R – Michael Isiah Sanchez (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
An Arizona family is mourning the loss of a pregnant teenager allegedly murdered after refusing to abort her unborn child, in a case that has reignited concerns about violence, coercion, and pressure placed on vulnerable women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Sixteen-year-old Rylee Montgomery was shot dead on May 14 in Buckeye, near Phoenix, while less than 14 weeks pregnant with a baby girl she had planned to name Erica after her father.
Police say officers responding to reports of a shooting found three female victims suffering from gunshot wounds outside a residence on Elwood Street. Rylee died at the scene, while a 17-year-old pregnant girl and a 22-year-old woman were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Michael Isiah Sanchez, 18, Rylee’s boyfriend, was arrested the following day and is accused of killing both Rylee and her unborn child. He is also accused of shooting the two surviving women.
According to Rylee’s family, Sanchez had repeatedly pressured her to abort the baby and allegedly threatened to kill her after she refused.
“First thing he told her was, ‘You’re gonna kill it,’” Rylee’s stepmother, Amy Montgomery, told local media. “And she said, ‘No, I am not.’”
The family say they repeatedly warned police that Sanchez was dangerous. Records reportedly show that Rylee had previously filed a complaint alleging Sanchez pulled a gun on her in March and later handed detectives a 13-page document containing threatening text messages.
Just hours before the shooting, Rylee reportedly contacted police again after Sanchez allegedly threatened to kill her and sent her a photograph holding a gun to his head.
“They could have stopped it,” Amy Montgomery said, criticising what the family believe was a slow response from authorities.
The case has drawn attention to the reality that coercion surrounding abortion is often ignored in public debate. While abortion is frequently framed as a matter of “choice,” it is clear that abortion is a tool loved by careless men to absolve themselves from responsibility.
Rylee’s family described her as compassionate, warm-hearted, and deeply excited to become a mother.
“Our sweet Rylee. Our best girl. The one who would do anything for anyone,” they wrote in a tribute shared online. “The one who saw good in everyone.”
The second pregnant teenager injured in the shooting reportedly underwent an emergency delivery at 25 weeks. Both she and her newborn son survived.
Sanchez is currently being held without bond and is expected back in court later this month.
Speaking on the situation, SPUC’s Communications Manager, Peter Kearney, said: “A large part of SPUC’s recent campaigning has been about highlighting the dangers of coerced abortion. Every effort we make is ignored by the pro-abortion establishment who claim to stand up for the rights and freedoms of women. Cases like this in the US highlight the reality of our current abortion culture: abortion is the favourite tool of low-quality and irresponsible men, and abortion is used to hide abuse and keep women in dangerous relationships. Rylee Montgomery’s case is heart breaking, and prayers go out from all of us at SPUC to her family during their time of mourning their daughter and preborn grandchild.
“The West’s abortion culture must be ended for the sake of the safety of our women and girls.”
