Posted on 04/20/2026 9:31:06 AM PDT by Morgana
The parents of a girl with 'childhood dementia' have revealed why they felt they had no choice but to terminate their much-wanted second pregnancy after discovering their unborn child also has the disease.
Leni Forrester, now two, was born seemingly healthy to parents Emily, 33, and Angus, 35, from London.
But when a close family member underwent genetic testing six months ago, their lives changed forever when results showed the family carried a recessive gene which can cause Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare genetic disorder dubbed childhood dementia.
The degenerative disease causes children to gradually lose all the motor skills they've learnt - such as walking, talking and eating - by the time they reach their teenage years.
There is currently no cure for the disease, and most of the children diagnosed with the devastating condition die by the time they reach their mid-teens.
The chances of both parents carrying the gene are slim, but after noticing that Leni was already exhibiting some of the classic symptoms - including speech delay, hearing difficulties and unusually bushy eyebrows - Angus also underwent testing.
Thankfully, the test came back negative and the couple began trying for a second child.
But just weeks later, the parents were informed the test results were wrong, triggering the 'most intense grief' imaginable.
Leni was diagnosed with the condition in October 2025, and just two weeks later, the couple found out that they were pregnant.
Ms Forrester said: 'We knew this pregnancy would either be the very best or very worst possible news.
'Navigating the heartbreak of Leni's diagnosis and our new world as parents to a child with very complex medical needs, as well as facing all the challenges any parents faces of having a toddler and trying to give her the best life possible.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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I understand their reasoning. Why not just “terminate” your first-born daughter as well?
The law won’t let them.
On that note every day I read about more and more medical hope for patients with dementia. If I were these parents I would have had both kids at these clinics for medical testing and what ever was coming out. I’d demand they try out anything/everything even if it was experimental. Something might work you never know. At least try. Abortion is not the answer.
In fairness, you don’t demand anything of the NHS. You get what they decide and shut up.
Not that this is a defense of these people who will one day answer for killing their child. I pity them.
More experimental vaccines are in order. /s
NHS, I should have known. Still though higher ups in the British gov will develop Dementia and will need a cure. Best be finding one now, and a cheap one at that.
“we had no choice but to terminate my pregnancy”
My wife and I were never blessed with children so I’m speaking out of ignorance here, but having said that, isn’t there always a choice?
The article itself says kids with this condition can live Cinco their teens.
These people sound like they’re justifying in their own minds why they did what they did.
God help them if they develop dementia in their later years.
They didn’t know the first born baby had the lethal disease until after the baby was born.
At least this couple aren't in Canada where they would be offered MAID service every time they bring their child to the doctor.
They very likely would be offered MAID services for themselves because they are a bit depressed about their child.
I stopped when I read “they were pregnant”.
Yes and as you know, ‘I had no choice’ is far and away the most common cognitive defense for choosing abortion. Nevertheless I am grateful I never had to face making that choice, and find it hard to sit in judgment of those faced with a situation like this.
One always has to ask what the agenda of an article is. Why is it there? Why now?
If this was you would you want an article or would you keep it private?
She added: ‘Unless you have received a catastrophic diagnosis like this for your child you cannot imagine the heartbreak and the devastation we felt in this moment.
‘I now truly know what it feels like for your heart to be ripped out of your chest.’
Whilst there is currently no known cure for the neurodegenerative disease that is estimated to affect one in 200,000 births, a clinical trial for a potential treatment is expected to begin in the US later this year.
Nevertheless I am grateful I never had to face making that choice, and find it hard to sit in judgment of those faced with a situation like this.
I, me, mine
A pregnancy when terminated means the mother is no longer pregnant
It also means killing the fetus. The person.
She decided that baby should be killed, not that she needed to not be pregnant
This idiocy is killing our culture
Yes…perhaps another yearly experimental vaccine 💉 will undo the damage other experimental yearly vaccines are doing?
My mom told me the doctor said I was mentally redarded shortly after I was born. Maybe I am, but I managed to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees, pass the CPA, and serve 8 years active duty in the Army. My wife probably agrees with that doctor lol.
What difference does that make? It is still murder either way
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