Friend of the Texas midwife accused of illegal abortions.

Waller County, Texas -For the first time, two people have been criminally accused under the almost total of Texas abortion prohibition.

The 48 -year -old midwife Maria Margarita Rojas and her worker José face charges for serious crimes in Waller County, Texas. Prosecutors claim that they made illegal abortions and practiced medicine without a license.

According to the judicial documents that KPRC has obtained, the state prosecutors of Rojas owned at least four different clinics in the Houston area, covering two counties, and made illegal abortions only in cash.

Related History: Texas Republicans seek to clarify when doctors can intervene under abortion prohibitions

KPRC spoke with Holly Shearman, who is also a midwife and friend of Rojas.

“I think it’s innocent,” Shearman said in a phone call. “She is a wonderful Christian woman.”

The case of Rojas was referred to the office of the Texas Attorney General by the Waller County DAY.

The AG of Texas office declared on Monday that Rojas was known as “Dr. María” and she “carried out illegal abortion procedures in its clinics in direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Law.”

Related History: Will legislators let the Texas Maternal Mortality Committee review abortion deaths?

“The Texas Law that protects life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton in a statement.

Shearman told KPRC that he knew that Rojas had his own clinics, but said he never learned of any abortion procedure.

“It is not part of our scope of practice,” said Shearman. “I can’t see her doing something like this.”

According to the Texas License and Regulation Department, Rojas has been a licensed midwife since 2018.

The Texas Office said that it has requested a temporary restriction order to close the Red Clinics Network to “prevent greater illegal activity.”

On Monday, KPRC tried to talk to Rojas, but someone at home told us that he was not available.