Posted on 01/20/2006 6:17:11 PM PST by Dubya
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- A severely beaten and comatose 11-year-old girl is now breathing on her own, officials said Thursday, two days after Massachusetts' highest court ruled the state had the authority to remove her from life support.
Denise Monteiro, a spokeswoman for the Department of Social Services, said doctors have weaned Haleigh Poutre off a ventilator in the past week.
"She can intake air, but she can't swallow on her own," Monteiro said.
Haleigh has been in the agency's custody since she was hospitalized four months ago with a badly damaged brain stem that authorities say resulted from abuse. Thinking that she was in an irreversible vegetative condition, the state had gone to court to seek permission to remove her from life support.
Haleigh's stepfather, Jason Strickland, is charged with beating the girl and could face a murder charge if she dies. He has fought to keep her on life support, but this week's high court ruling said he has no say in her medical care.
"This is exactly the point we were trying to make. What's the rush? Just give her a chance," attorney John Egan said. "Medical science is not that certain. We would hope the whole process will slow down, and everyone will step back and end the compulsion to end her life."
Officials first reported changes in Haleigh's condition on Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the agency had the authority to remove her ventilator and feeding tube.
Monteiro said the state now has no immediate plans to remove her feeding tube, and more medical tests will be performed Thursday. She said Haleigh had responded to some testing on Wednesday but would not specify what the tests or responses were.
When Haleigh was hospitalized four months ago, her doctors said she was in a permanent vegetative state and would die within a few days without the feeding tube.
Some patients with severe brain stem injuries may partially recover from a persistent vegetative state, but they rarely recover fully enough to communicate, feed themselves and live ordinary lives, Dr. Steve Williams, chief of rehabilitation medicine at Boston Medical Center, told The Boston Globe in its Thursday editions. But he said recovery is more likely with children than adults.
"There's more plasticity to their brain. There's potentially other areas of the brain that can take over," he said.
Haleigh's aunt and adoptive mother, Holli Strickland, also was charged with assault. But less than two weeks later, she was found dead alongside her grandmother in a possible murder-suicide.
Haleigh's biological mother, Allison Avrett, had supported removing the girl from life support. She said she met with officials and doctors Wednesday but would not comment on reports of her daughter's responses.
When I said "Everyone should be given food and water," I wasn't expressing a political opinion, i.e., that we should all go on welfare! I meant that even if a person is sick or helpless, we should not deny them food and water.
"We" meaning the state or "we" meaning private charities?
If the state is going to be using taxpayer monies to provide food and water (and other palliative 24-hour round-the-clock care like physical therapy, basic hygiene, medicines, medical treatment, a hospital bed, etc.) shouldn't the state determine if the money couldn't be better spent on a patient who is not brain damaged or brain dead? (Assuming the patient wants to be kept alive in that condition.)
Prayers for this little girl.
Haleigh is in my prayers today.
Prayers up from TEXAS...I have been following this story...and my heart breaks for this poor girl...
Dear God, please give this precious one a second chance to have the life she deserves..
sleuth
The adoptive mother (the child's biological aunt) killed her mother(the girls grandmother) than herself after she was charged with the beatings along with her husband.
The biological mother lost custody when her live in boyfriend sexually molested the little girl.
The aunt/adoptive mother, along with her husband would beat her and then blame the bruises and injuries on Hayleh saying the she was self injuring herself because of the sexual molestation.
Sick.
Lord, heal her.
Ah. So when the State pulled her breathing tube, that was OK with you since the State represented the peoples will. You were in favor of that.
A big AMEN! to your prayer for Haleigh.
If God wants her to live, she lives.
Robert, I'm all for small government and limited spending, but if we as a nation or a people think we can't afford to give some helplessly disabled person food and water (and yes, a modest bed somewhere and a little care if they have no means), then our poverty is not in our pocketbook but in our soul.
Give to some or to all?
If you are willing to turn the care over to the state, then don't be surprised when the state makes the life and death decisions for those under their care. That's the point of the article.
You seemed to be making the argument that we should starve/dehydrate people who couldn't pay up. That's all I was responding to. Was my conclusion wrong? I hope so.
Regards
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