Ten Year Old, Arrested for Giving Food to Terri Schiavo, Apologizes

LifeSite ^ | August 31, 2005

[NYer]

LifeSiteNews.com

Wednesday August 31, 2005

Ten Year Old Arrested for Giving Food to Terri Schiavo Apologizes

TAMPA BAY, August 31, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ten year-old Joshua Heldreth, the eldest of eight children, was arrested on Good Friday of this year for trespassing while attempting to bring a drink of water to Miss Terri Schaivo.  Days later Schiavo died of intentional dehydration.  In court Joshua pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and ordered to write an apology for his actions.

The boy whose arrest photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across the nation wrote in his apology letter, "I was arrested on Good Friday for trespassing on the hospice center's property . . . Not giving Mrs. Shiavo (sic) food or water was wrong.  The reason I had to go on your property was because Jesus would do the same thing.  It made me sad that she was so thirsty and it made Jesus sad too.  I knew she would die without water and I am called by Jesus to be a defender of the defenceless.  So I had to go on your property to try to bring her a drink."

Joshua added, "I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why.  I won't be able to help you then like I tried to help her. I will pray for you every day . . ."

LifeSiteNews.com caught up with Joshua's father Scott Heldreth today.  Scott told LifeSiteNews.com he is very proud of his son.  "My son has amazed me through this whole thing," said Heldreth.  The proud father said it was his son's own initiative to attempt to give the starving woman a glass of water, and despite the warning of his parents that he'd be arrested, the boy insisted.  "He was the one who begged us to go down, because he wanted to give her a glass of water . . . We explained that police will never let you help . . . you'll be arrested, but he went anyways."

Pro-life leader Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America told LifeSiteNews.com that the whole pro-life movement shares Heldreth's pride in his son.  Benham recalls the reaction of Heldreth on Good Friday as he watched his son being arrested: "When that all took place Scott was weeping, this father was weeping tears of joy seeing his son not only talk the Christian talk but walk the walk."

While the apology letter has been submitted, Heldreth told LifeSiteNews.com he's not completely sure it will be accepted.

See Joshua's full handwritten apology letter here:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/JoshuaApolog...

[floriduh voter]

I hope his book tanks. I hope our leaders put the brakes on the euthanasia movement. It's something we need to ask them during their campaigns. Are they for protecting disabled Americans or for euthanasia (which is illegal but there are loopholes written into the law or laws are broken.)

[floriduh voter]

Federal Schiavo Judges Target of Threatening Letters North Country Gazette - NY,USA

... Schindler family's petition to restore nutrition and hydration to their daughter, Terri Schindler-Schiavo, in March after Judge James Whittemore denied their ...

(Link to north country gazette is above. This was from a google alert.) Judge Whittemore who is smiling in the graphic of Terri apparently is getting hate mail. That's the other side of the coin from receiving awards from FLA AG Crist. Guess they only want praise for Terri's murder.

[floriduh voter]

J. Whittemore ran out the clock on Terri in Tampa Federal Court. He defied congress and the president.

J. Whittemore received an award from Fla AG Crist for defending the judiciary. Judges are not sworn to uphold each other. They are sworn to seek justice. Earth to Crist.

[floriduh voter]

Re 942 - there's a title but this article is not available. There is other Schiavo news at north country gazette including by Diane Coleman of Not Dead Yet.

[floriduh voter]

goodnight freepers.

[8mmMauser]

Good morning freeper. It is another beautiful day here and God protect our people in Rita's way.

Hmmm, a comment removed....

8mm

[8mmMauser]

From LifeSite, euthanasia topic heats up in Canada with some good input.

Pickup at Toronto

WND on today's talk by the death merchants.

Read after breakfast

8mm

(this includes Ohioan from Florida's ping list, update to 9/20.)

[russesjunjee]

This is probably off topic, but have you seen the story about the boxer who died shortly after his match? Its all over the news this morning. I was reading his story and was very interested to see that he was removed from life support by his family so soon.

I was also horrified to read the following statement by a physician involved in the case. I wonder how much this doc had to do with the family deciding to end this man's life. You will note that the doctor clearly states that it was the right thing to do to kill this man.

"We had no further mode to improve his prognosis, so the family very correctly made the decision to withdraw care," Dr. William Smith said. "He passed away very peacefully."

[amdgmary]

[Just Kimberly]

Sounds like my father who grew up in the generation of - "If it is on the 6 o'clock news - it has to be true.." That from my step-father.

My biological father saw Fahrenheit 911 , told me I should see it and said " If it wasn't true, they would not have let him make the movie."

Ever heard of Fiction, Dad? JK

[floriduh voter]

Good evening, freeper.

Found this on a locked thread. Hope you aren't having a late supper.

He's starting to look like the late Rodney Dangerfield "I can't get no respect."

[floriduh voter]

Everybody hold on. World Net Daily reports that Michael Schiavo is a very close friend of Doc Cranford? I THOUGHT HE WAS AN INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EVALUATION ORDERED BY JUDGE GREER. If the USDOJ really ordered HHS to investigate Terri's abuse and murder, how about all the collusion????

LEAD IN TO WND STORY: "AFTER SCHIAVO Terri's husband center stage at right-to-die conference, Will pay tribute to 'very close family friend,' euthanasia proponent Cranford," Posted: September 23, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern

if you click on my web page, my WND news feed has this story on it now.

[8mmMauser]

I have been taking diet pills to kill my appetite so I could lose a few pounds, but the pic works better than the pills. Looking at that pic leads one to starvation.

[floriduh voter]

NO RESPECT

NONE DESERVED.

[floriduh voter]

LESSONS FROM TERRI:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2005/005/5.46.html

[floriduh voter]

Cartoonist exploits Terri.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/sfl-brmail829xsep23,0,541935.story?coll=sfla-news-letters

[floriduh voter]

"This is the age of Terri Schiavo."

http://www2.townonline.com/framingham/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=330875

(movie review). God bless her.

Ask for a federalized ban on starving and dehydrating our fellow Americans.

[Polybius]

While the apology letter has been submitted, Heldreth told LifeSiteNews.com he's not completely sure it will be accepted.

It seems to me that to force an American citizen to "apologize" for his religious beliefs is a blatant First Amendment violation.

If the letter is "not accepted", the matter should be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court.

[floriduh voter]

Goodnight, Terri's freepers. Stay safe.

Stay tuned for more breaking news from great reporters on this thread re: the fight against forced exits and the abuse of wards.

[8mmMauser]

G'night, freeper