As we noted earlier, it was the mom who wanted to pull the plug and the estranged father who balked, but then he wavered and now this. That bothers me a lot. Are either really that committed to fight for this poor girl's life or for proceeds from a civil action?
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Javona Peters
There's a new twist in the fight to control the fate of a 16-year-old lying in a permanent coma in a Bronx hospital - the girl's father now wants to be named co-guardian.
The parents of the girl, Javona Peters, have disagreed on whether to remove a feeding tube and end what's left of her life.
Janet Joseph, who is in favor of "letting Javona go in peace," previously filed papers seeking sole guardianship of her daughter.
On Friday, Javona's father, Leonard Peters, who has not made a firm decision about taking that final step, filed a cross petition asking that he be appointed co-guardian.
The petitions were originally drawn to pave the way for a malpractice suit against Montefiore Medical Center, where Javona fell into an irreversible coma on Oct. 17 after what was supposed to be a routine operation.
Lawyers for the parents - who never married and are estranged - agree the guardianship issue will be part of other expanded court proceedings over who will be Javona's guardian in all aspects, including control over her life and property.
"Because of her condition, she cannot make decisions for herself, and the court will have to appoint a guardian to make decisions for her," said one of Joseph's lawyers, Edward Gersowitz.
Leonard Peters' lawyer, Lucille Barbato, agreed but added that her client, unlike Joseph, "isn't looking to become sole guardian" but just wants "equal footing."
"He respects the mother, but he's been involved with his daughter since birth, and for him this is heart-wrenching," Barbato said.
Javona grew up with her mother and attended school in Providence, R.I. Her father, whom she visited, lives in Mount Vernon.
Meanwhile, Gersowitz and Andrew Libo, another of Joseph's lawyers, said that even if the parents agree to remove Javona's feeding tube, "it's likely" the hospital would not grant their wishes without direction from the courts............
Fight over Bronx coma teen heats up
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