Scott Thomas: Mother Fights for Custody, Wife Fights to Remove Feeding Tube

First Coast News (NBC) ^ | 5-16-05 | Lindy Thackston

[TerryGale]

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- 34-year old Scott Thomas married Liza Thomas in 2001.

They bought a home and had a baby boy.

But one September day, paramedics found Scott on his kitchen floor with several hairline fractures down the left side of his head.

Scott spent two months in a coma.

Scott's mom, Pamela Patton, says Liza had plans to put Scott in Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, so she filed for temporary guardianship in November and won.

For months, Pamela took care of Scott in her home, and worked with him every day.

"He watches you, he listens, he smiles, he cries," said Patton.

Six weeks ago, Scott's traech was removed. Now he's in Brooks Rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.

Patton's guardianship could end in a few weeks.

Patton fears Liza will remove Scott's feeding tube.

The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation has stepped in.

"They don't wish to poke their noses into somebody else's business, but they do want to plead to this woman to please think about what she's doing," said Pamela Hennessy, spokeswoman for the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation.

The Foundation is urging DCF to investigate the circumstances surrounding Scott's injuries.

According to Patton, Liza says Scott fell in the kitchen, but doctors tell Scott's mother his injuries are consistent with a head trauma, not a fall.

Whether Liza gets control is up to a judge, but until then, Scott's room sits ready. "If his wife doesn't want him to live, then just let him go because we want him," said Patton.

Scott does not have a living will.

Liza would not comment Monday.

Created: 5/16/2005 10:54:41 PM Updated: 5/17/2005 8:58:56 AM Edited by lindy thackston, reporter

[TerryGale]

Scott Thomas is apparently aware, responsive and able to communicate. Reminiscent of several similar cases, Scott received his injury last November while alone at home with the person who now wants him to die.

Before the mysterious fall, he was suffering mysterious periodic stomach problems that his Doctors seemed unable to diagnose (poisoning comes to mind)...

People get "uncomfortable" discussing domestic violence when the victim is male and the accused perpetrator is female.

[apackof2]

Black Widow?

Bump for life

[conservativebabe]

and here we go again... proponents for life have feared this trend.

[kimmie7]

Somebody pushed the snowball downhill when they let Terri be murdered. It'll only become a more and more common story until people are numb to it -- that's when the death proponents will make their real moves.

[mtbopfuyn]

Deja vu.

Where there's life, there's hope.

[HEY4QDEMS]

If anyone here wants to have the plug left in, they'd be idiots to assume that the absence of a living will we save them.

[GOP_1900AD]

RE: But one September day, paramedics found Scott on his kitchen floor with several hairline fractures down the left side of his head.

My immediate thought here is something like "cutting board impact from behind upside the temple..." ... if so, didn't know what hit him.

[ndkos]

I agree with you both.

Too bad this happened in Florida again, Jeb and the legislature won't do anything.

[combat_boots]

One hairline fracture, ok. But several?

[BykrBayb]

Could you ping the list to this?

[IMissPresidentReagan]

I am curious as to why the judge granted the mother guardianship?

Again another situation with no living will; no evidence of HIS wishes. Hopefully Judge Greer will not be asked to weigh in on this. Maybe the judiciary can get something right.

[Camel Joe]

As the parent of a moderately retarded young lady I am very disconcerted by this apparent trend in todays society. She is the kind that Hitler forced into the enclosed death trucks that gassed its passengers. While we won't reach that point until I am old I can assure you that as long as I am able I can and will defend her life from the death cultists. My concern now lies with those less fortunate than Miss Ashley, those like the young man I've seen each of the last fifteen years at the Special Olympics. He has no family, I know this because he is black and no one of color comes to the event in our rural part of the state. His body is twisted and he has no control over his extremities, yet he can manage a smile when one takes the time to engage him. He cannot talk, he can make sounds but nothing more. He cannot feed himself nor clean himself either. His head is twisted to one side so that he can only look from one eye as he is wheeled around in his chair. I can hear the death cultists now extolling the virtues of euthanasia on his behalf... "why would anybody want to live like that", and "he is such a burden to taxpayers". Still, he can somehow manage a smile and I think that is enough to grant him a stay.

[BykrBayb]

Thank you for sharing that perspective. I think most of us know someone that would be a victim of the death squads if we allow it. I'll never understand the people who allow it.

Please thank your niece or nephew for serving this great nation.

[yellowdoghunter]

poking my head in....is it safe??!?!?! :)

[EllaMinnow]

Click on BykrBayb's name.

LOL.