Greensboro, North Carolina — A ProPublica investigation details the death of a 34-year-old police officer who was unable to receive timely medical care during a high-risk pregnancy, highlighting the consequences of tightened abortion restrictions and gaps in emergency treatment.
Ciji Graham, a Greensboro police officer and mother of a 2-year-old son, died in November 2023 after weeks of untreated atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart rhythm disorder that placed her at risk of stroke or heart failure. When Graham sought care, her heart rate was recorded at 192 beats per minute. In prior episodes, doctors had stabilized her condition through cardioversion, a standard procedure widely considered safe during pregnancy.
This time, after a positive pregnancy test, cardioversion was delayed. Medical records show Graham was sent home multiple times without definitive treatment as her symptoms persisted. Specialists who reviewed her case told ProPublica that immediate hospital care was warranted and that delaying treatment significantly increased her risk.
Graham attempted to pursue an abortion, believing it was necessary to protect her health, but new restrictions in North Carolina complicated access. State law requires in-person consent visits and limits provider availability, while hospitals often hesitate to clarify whether they perform abortions in medically complex cases. Graham waited nearly two weeks for an appointment and never received hospital-based abortion care.
She died at home on Nov. 19. The medical examiner listed her cause of death as cardiac arrhythmia related to atrial fibrillation during pregnancy. Multiple maternal health experts said her death was preventable.
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