DCF: Terri Schiavo Not Abused, Exploited

ABC/AP ^ | 4.16.05

[ambrose]

DCF: Terri Schiavo Not Abused, Exploited

State Agency: Terri Schiavo Was Not Abused or Exploited by Either Side of Her Family

By VICKIE CHACHERE

The Associated Press

Apr. 16, 2005 - State investigators found no evidence that Terri Schiavo had been abused or exploited by either side of her family, according to documents released by Florida's Department of Children and Families.

The agency investigated 89 complaints dating back to 2001, when Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for the first time and the legal battle surrounding her right-to-die case intensified.

The calls alleged that the brain-damaged woman was being mistreated by her husband and her parents for financial gain. One complaint alleged that Schiavo's parents were selling videos of her through a Web site; another said Schiavo's husband wasn't spending money intended for her rehabilitation.

But investigators said they found no evidence that either her husband or parents were exploiting her, and often noted in their records that they found Schiavo well cared for on their visits to her Pinellas Park hospice.

The agency released the records Friday under court order.

Schiavo, 41, died last month after her feeding tube was removed for the third time, ending a bitter court battle between her husband, Michael Schiavo, and parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, over whether she would have wanted to live in a vegetative state.

The repeated allegations of abuse were based partly on bone scans showing Terri Schiavo suffered fractures and statements she made to family and friends that she was unhappy in her marriage.

Schiavo's husband has denied harming his wife. His lawyer said the fractures resulted from osteoporosis caused by the woman's years of immobility and complications of her medication.

Robert Schindler declined to comment there on the release of the DCF documents. An attorney for Michael Schiavo did not immediately return calls.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © 2005 ABC News Internet Ventures

[cyncooper]

Missy, don't tell me to drop anything - the only thing that needs to drop is your attitude.

LOL

(check out who has big time attitude...lol)

[sgtbono2002]

Yes you are right. The fact is this whole thing started with a family feud and should have been settled by that family without the media making a circus out of it. This poor woman had 7 years of no progress before Schiavvo started proceeding to remove the feeding tube , another 8 years of fighting in the courts to alow his wife what surely any sane person would want. No person with half a brain would want to survive in the state she was in. Since the USA does not recognise Euthanasia what other choice was there? To keep her alive till her parents died and then she would be rolled off in a corner somewhere until nature took its course. I have been amazed at the people in this forum whop have flamed and called others names for not agreeing with them in this. Obviously they have never had to face the task of allowing a parent to slip away or face the decision to take the machine off a child who has no chance for life, and doctors vying for their internal organs. Who do they think organ donors are? Many are people who have had a decision made by a parent guardian or husband that it is no longer viable to keep them alive on a machine.
The folks who say Feeding tubes are different from ventilators are mistaken. If you dont have a feeding tube growing out of you a feeding tube is an artificial means of life support. You place them in for a while in an effort to save the patient , but sometimes a decision must be made to remove it.

[AliVeritas]

Good Point. It was bloviated about that Greer all of a sudden ruled for release, after ruling against it...who has them? where are they?

[AliVeritas]

My thoughts exactly...you were nicer though.

[AliVeritas]

You can still marry him. Jodi Centonze had two accidents and broken bones already...It will be easier this time.
But their not hitched yet...feel free to go down and take a chance.

[cyncooper]

"You people"

Thank you sign up of 3/31/05.

Don't tell me, let me guess...you lurked for years but signed up because of TERRI.

right?

[Dustbunny]

State Agency: Terri Schiavo Was Not Abused or Exploited by Either Side of Her Family

This is good news but for some reason I will take it with a grain of salt knowing that the government of Florida wants the whole thing to go away and the best way to accomplish this is to say "Terri Schiavo Was Not Abused or Exploited by Either Side of Her Family".

[cyncooper]

Is it cocktail hour already where you are?

Or are you always "this way"?

[bvw]

Which relative have you expedited the death process for?

[AliVeritas]

George, is that you?

[ContraryMary]

Actually, Terri did not attend Mass regularly as an adult -- despite the Schindlers' claim to the contrary. She was a mainstream adult Catholic who made her own decisions and lived her life the way she wanted to. Using religion was simply a tool on her parents' part.

[bvw]

Innocent until proven guilty.

Terri was most guilty of being a vegetable. Death!

Justice perfected, eh?

[ContraryMary]

Compassion and reality are not the same thing. I recognize both. Yes, it is truly unfortunate that Terri was not able to have minimal comfort to relieve her parched mouth and tongue. The reality is that the media circus the Schindlers deliberately set out to create played a significant part in that unfortunate circumstance.

[bvw]

Using religion was simply a tool on her parents' part.

Is a wet washcloth also a tool that should not ever be so abused? Or the spoon that holds an ice chip or two?

Come to think of it ... there are many, so many, tools in a hospital and hospice. None should ever be abused by putting towards any process but expediting death process, eh?

Abuse of tools includes using a tool to save a life? That is what you said. Did you mean it, did you?

[AliVeritas]

It's easy to say "I wouldn't want to be that way", but what if it were your child...whose first words and steps you saw, took to first grade for the first day, graduating from high school...meeting the man she wants to marry...

Imagine being a parent...your daughter's been married for five years...something happens...you have to see her when someone says you can or can't...you see her starved to death, you can't do a thing about it...you can't even bury her or visit her gravesite.