Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia doctor notorious for his heinous acts at an abortion clinic, has passed away at the age of 85. In 2013, Gosnell was convicted of the murder of three infants who were born alive. His story became one of the most shocking medical malpractice cases in recent history.

According to Maria Bivens, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Gosnell died on March 1 in a hospital outside the prison system. Prior to his death, he was held at the State Correctional Institution-Smithfield, located approximately 60 miles south of Pittsburgh. The cause of death has not been publicly revealed.

The clinic Gosnell operated in West Philadelphia grotesquely earned the nickname “house of horrors.” At the time of his passing, he was serving multiple life sentences, a reflection of the grave nature of his crimes.

Testimonies from former employees painted a chilling picture of Gosnell’s practices. They revealed that he routinely conducted illegal abortions beyond Pennsylvania’s 24-week limit and delivered babies who showed signs of life. In a horrific procedure he called “snipping,” these newborns’ spines were severed by Gosnell and his staff, as reported by the Associated Press.

Additionally, Gosnell’s criminal activities extended beyond these murders; he was also found guilty of running a prescription pill mill out of the same clinic. This multifaceted criminal enterprise added to the infamy surrounding his case.

The haunting legacy of Kermit Gosnell remains a stark reminder of the potential for abuse within the medical profession when oversight fails. His actions shocked the nation and brought attention to the critical need for regulatory vigilance in medical practices.

“Gosnell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including oxycodone, alprazolam, and codeine; distribution and aiding and abetting the distribution of oxycodone; and maintaining a place for the illegal distribution of controlled substances,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in July 2013. 

“Gosnell went from writing several hundred prescriptions for controlled substances per month filled at pharmacies in 2008 to over 2,300 filled at pharmacies in January of 2010,” it added. “Gosnell charged from $115.00 to $150.00, with a follow up visit fee of $50.00 and a $20 fee for refills of controlled substances for cash paying customers.”

Pedestrians pass in front of the Women’s Medical Society, the site of Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s clinic in West Philadelphia, Pa., in April 2013. (Mark Makela/Corbis via Getty Images)

Conditions at his clinic became known during a 2010 investigation of prescription drug trafficking.  

Investigators described a foul-smelling place with bags and bottles of fetuses and jars of body parts, along with bloodstained furniture and dirty medical instruments.

Gosnell did not testify at his 2013 trial, but his defense attorney argued that none of the fetuses were born alive and that any movements were posthumous twitching or spasms, according to the AP.

Pedestrians pass in front of the Women’s Medical Society, the site of Dr. Gosnell’s clinic, in West Philadelphia on April 30, 2013. (Mark Makela/Corbis via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for further comment.