Posted on 08/21/2003 1:37:36 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife
State officials are worried a 12-year-old Sandy boy will die from a rare form of bone cancer if he does not receive chemotherapy soon.
But his parents apparently are more concerned that the chemotherapy will leave their son sterile.
Barbara and Daren Jensen have fled Utah with their son, against the advice of their attorney and in violation of a juvenile court judge's Aug. 8 order placing the boy into state Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) custody, according to charges filed Friday in 3rd District Court.
The Jensens face one count of child kidnapping, a first-degree felony punishable by a sentence of up to life in prison.
Third District Juvenile Court Judge Robert S. Yeates has issued a warrant for both Jensens, court documents state.
And "a warrant has been issued for us to pick up the child," said Carol Sisco, DCFS spokeswoman. "The concern was with this child's health. The real concern is that the boy be found and that he get medical treatment."
The boy, identified in court documents as P.J., has a cancer known as Ewing's sarcoma, and previously had a tumor removed from his mouth, said Angela Micklos, deputy district attorney.
The disease strikes only about 150 people, mostly children and adolescents, in the United States each year, according to the InteliHealth Web site, http://www.intelihealth.com. A normal course of therapy includes surgery and chemotherapy or radiation, but the boy's parents reportedly are afraid of possible side effects of that treatment.
On Saturday, Daren Jensen, 38, was arrested by Deputy Clint Brown in Bannock County, Idaho, after a traffic accident, according to the county sheriff's office there. A deputy checked his criminal history and took him into custody on the fugitive warrant from Utah, authorities said. He appeared before a judge Monday and posted $50,000 bond to be released from jail the same day, a sheriff's employee said. He is supposed to appear in an Idaho courtroom Wednesday.
Utah authorities, however, are upset that a judge freed Jensen after he already had fled once.
Neighbors of the family said the couple have five children, and that they have not seen any of them or the parents since last week. Investigators believe the Jensens went to Idaho because Barbara Jensen has relatives there, although she and the boy were not found at that family's home, said Kent Morgan, spokesman for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office. Daren Jensen told authorities Saturday that his wife took their son to Texas to seek alternative treatments.
Prosecutors said the Jensens had refused to have their son undergo chemotherapy because it can cause growth problems and infertility.
"They think they are doing the best they can for their kid, but I think the kid will die if we don't get him some chemotherapy," Morgan said.
Wednesday, Yeates asked all those present in his courtroom not to speak about the case, so prosecutors will not elaborate on the Jensens' motivations or any other aspect of the case.
A Sandy police detective attempted to visit the Jensens on Aug. 8 and every day from Aug. 11 to Aug. 14, according to charging documents. The home appeared vacant, documents said, and no one answered the telephone.
Sandy police are now hunting down leads in Utah, Idaho and Texas, according to Sgt. Michelle Burnette.
They are asking the public to keep a lookout for the Jensens. Police describe Daren Jensen as 38, white, 6-foot-4, 205 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Barbara Jensen is described as 35, white, 5-foot-3, 118 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair. Police had no description of their child.
The Jensens may be driving a gray 2001 Chevrolet Silverado crew cab pickup with a "Ski Utah" license plate number 774 LPH. They could be in a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban with a "Ski Utah" plate 775 LPH. Either vehicle may have a green boat trailer attached to the back with a "Ski Utah" plate number 53796M.
Anyone with information is urged to call 840-4000.
mcanham@sltrib.com, aebroughton@sltrib.com
If he doesn't get therapy, he may be dead AND sterile. These parents are morons. Though my opinion is that parents like these do not deserve to be parents, I don't see the role of the state to charge them with abduction for making their own parenting choices.
But his parents apparently are more concerned that the chemotherapy will leave their son sterile.
This sounds like a tough case. The kid is 12 year old and, while not a minor, he's probably old enough to on some level understand some of the issues. I hope that his views are at least being considered.
Sounds like the parents are seeking treatment, just not the state-approved treatment which, of course, would be chemotherapy (which never seems to save anyone, anyway, or at least not anyone I know and not for very long).
But, it's for the children.
They SHOULD NOT do that....until AFTER they gas them, of course...
You call it "cheap semi-humor." I think a better description is "a memorable way to point out what the results of similar government action in the past has been."
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