Posted on 10/17/2019 3:26:08 PM PDT by Morgana
FULL TITLE: U of Michigan “just killed my son,” mother says. Hospital yanks life support hours after judge dismisses case
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, October 16, 2019 – Bobby Reyes, a 14-year-old boy from Michigan who doctors declared “brain dead,” died yesterday after a judge dismissed his family’s court case asking he be given more time. The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital removed his ventilator just hours later. The case was heard at 10:00 a.m. and by 3:00 p.m. the hospital had released a statement declaring Bobby to be dead.
Bobby suffered a cardiac arrest on September 21 after experiencing an asthma attack and was airlifted to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.
Doctors at the hospital diagnosed Bobby as being “brain dead” and within a week of that diagnosis informed his family that his ventilator would be removed, bringing an end to his life.
Bobby’s family brought the case to court to seek more time to arrange a transfer for their son.
But that request was denied by Judge David Swartz of the Washtenaw County Circuit Court yesterday morning, and the medical staff at the University of Michigan hospital disconnected Bobby’s ventilator just hours later.
The decision to remove Bobby’s ventilator was made after a second brain death examination was made Monday which pronounced him dead. But Bobby’s family has continually pointed out that the hospital has admitted that there has been improvement in Bobby’s condition and that it is only possible for a living person to get better.
They have claimed that other doctors believed there was hope for Bobby, including Richard P. Bonfiglio. Bonfiglio is himself a graduate of the University of Michigan’s medical school and attended the court hearing yesterday.
He told the Detroit Free Press that he had reviewed Bobby’s charts and visited him in the hospital, although he did not conduct a formal examination because he lacks admitting privileges at the hospital.
When asked if he had seen reasons for the family to hope, he said, “Absolutely, yes. The problem is the whole determination of brain death is not a precise science at this point, so when you’re dealing with this kind of situation, I would rather err on the side of giving him a chance than on terminating things.”
Earlier Monday Bobby’s mother, Sarah Jones, released a statement on the Facebook group “Save Bobby.”
“The University of Michigan just killed my son,” she said. “Our lawyer Bill had papers at the courthouse in his hand that could have saved him but they rushed this whole thing so fast. Bobby is gone and I feel numb we tried so hard to save him I let my boy down. My heart is [broken] we were so close to finding him a place they couldn’t give us no time monsters and murderers.”
LifeSiteNews wishes to extend our deepest sympathies to all of Bobby’s family and friends and will bring you further coverage of this tragic story in the coming days.
“Bet they came in and took his organs before they even pu”
I will take that bet.
“I have taken the donor endorsment off my DL last renewal.”
I’ve heard that they take organs, anyhow, especially the eyes. The DL declarations are a placebo. Not sure if that’s true.
My Father suffered a major Heart Attack in the Recovery Room right after Abdominal Surgery. His Left Ventricle was severely damaged and almost non functional.
Less than 20 minutes later he went into complete Heart Failure despite the Doctor’s and Staff doing everything they could do and when I walked back in they were pumping on his Chest.
I told them to stop. The Nurse who took over CPR from the Cardiologist was in tears. They would have continued to work on my Father if I hadn’t made the decision on the spot.
I didn’t need a Judge to help me face reality. In this case the Boy was obviously gone and in my “opinion” the Family simply refused to see it. Their emotions overtook them.
It’s tough losing a Child, and over the years we have had two Children taken from their Parents in our own extended Family. Reality is a bitch.
Yep, the family had 3 weeks to do a “discharge against physician’s advice”....but didn’t. Probably a lack of money thing...private ICU/ventilator cost would be high.
I've been through this process when my younger brother passed away after suffering a massive brain aneurysm.
I'll tell you upfront that long before the judge ruled on anything, there were recipients lined up for that young mans eyes, liver, lungs and more. Those recipients were on stand-by waiting to go to a hospital (somewhere, not necessarily UM) to get prepped for surgery once the remove ventilator order was given.
I will add that the "science" behind these types of deaths is far from certain. The gag/swallow reflex test is the most common one used and failing that is a certain ruling of brain death by the performing neurologist (that's who administers the test.)
I've lived through this process when my younger brother passed on August 11th, 2012.
I cannot tell you how much it wrenches my heart to read these stories.
Unless the parents were millionaires they couldn’t pay for him to stay in an acute care hospital for more than a month. Two doctors had to sign off on the decision. He had two two flat EEG’s and other tests. The doctors didn’t kill him, acute hypoxic brain injury secondary to asthma did. This is so sad, yet brain dead people do not live long even with acute care. He could have been transferred to a skilled nursing facility where he would have died in a few months at best. As I heard a neurosurgeon once say “we played God when we put him on a ventilator”. There’s nothing to see here folks except grief and sadness.
Correct. I've been through this. In the case of my younger brother, the hospital went through an excruciating process with far more detail than we wanted to know and made us listen to it before presenting the forms for signature to donate my brothers organs.
To this day, I have no idea why they needed any forms to be signed because he was explicit about being an organ donor. He had a DNR (that he kept with him) and signed the back of his drivers license confirming he was an organ donor.
I personally didn't see the need at that point for the hospital to put his 19 year old daughter (with her 17 year old sister witnessing the process) through all that. They were his next of kin, only his 19 year old daughter could sign off on the organ donation "as a formality."
That poor young girl, my heart still breaks for her.
10 years ago I’d have never believed that abortionists actually sold dead baby parts for profit either.
In the one case in which I have personal knowledge of someone headed to brain death, the organs were not usable, even though it was the family’s desire to donate them. The damage to the brain caused very unstable vital signs which failed to respond to treatment. The unstable vitals damaged the organs to the point of being useless for transplant.
“Bet they came in and took his organs before they even pulled the plug.”
My first thought too.
...and to think we beat China over the head for similar (although more barbaric) acts.
“10 years ago I’d have never believed that abortionists actually sold dead baby parts for profit either.”
Those aren’t certified hospitals.
“My first thought too.”
My first thought was to go get the rest of the story ...
Are the abortionists not licensed doctors?
Are the facilities not licensed?
What is your point?
My barber is licensed.
Precisely my point.
‘Certified hospital’ is basically meaningless.
You are seriously poorly informed and a purveyor of misinformation.
Dead is dead
If the brain is dead, their child is no longer there
The rest is but a shell.
Do with it as you see fit
Ask the child what he would want for himself.
See through his eyes
Would he want his family to continue suffering?
Board certified Neurologist with 33 years of hospital based community service
A Neurologist would know...
I have seen too much suffering...
“Are the abortionists not licensed doctors?”
Many are not.
I bet a year ago you’d have argued that FISA court was clean too.
LOL.
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