Haleigh Poutre Almost Victim of Euthanasia, Now Making Good Progress

Life News ^ | September 4, 2006 | Steven Ertelt

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Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- Haleigh Poutre was the victim of child abuse and was nearly killed via euthanasia when Massachusetts officials gave up on her after she entered a coma. Now Poutre, once termed "brain dead" by doctors, continues to improve and is speaking a few words, her grandmother says.

Sandra Sudyka, the girl's biological grandmother, is no longer allowed to visit her granddaughter and now says she is ready to speak to the media about Poutre's condition.

She told The Republican newspaper that she last saw Poutre on July 18 but indicated she was "doing well."

"She was bright-eyed and smiling. She is always responsive to us," Sudyka explained.

Department of Social Services had asked Sudyka not to talk with reporters about Haleigh, but since they will no longer allow her and Haleigh's biological mother, Allison Avrett, to visit the 12 year-old, she said she's going to talk to the media.

"I decided since they broke the deal, I am going to talk. People should know how well she is doing," Sudyka told the newspaper.

"They don't want people to know how she is doing after they wanted to pull the plug," Sudyka said.

DSS spokeswoman Denise Monteiro declined an interview with The Republican but said that the visiting privileges have been suspended, not terminated.

Haleigh first began speaking in June, her grandmother told the newspaper.

"I was saying to her 'I love you,' and she was trying to say 'love' and it came out as a vibration...'ove,'" Sudyka said.

Sudyka, who is working with an attorney to adopt the girl, said she has said hello, responds to comments and questions, speaks nonverbally and is able to write her name. Haleigh can't walk and is confined to a wheelchair.

Avrett, Poutre's biological mother, lost custody of her daughter after physically abusing her. Poutre was put into a foster home where her adoptive parents also abused her. Her adopted mother committed suicide after abusing Poutre so much she had to be hospitalized.

DSS took Poutre into custody and when she appeared to slip into a coma, the agency asked the state Supreme Court for permission to take her life. That's when Poutre began responding.

Poutre has been receiving physical, speech and occupational therapy since January 26 at Franciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton.

Gov. Mitt Romney appointed a commission to look into how the state failed to properly handle the girl's case.

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>> The vater ist kolt up zere in Brainert.

Not az kolt az Deathknell's heart.

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How's this?

Drudge Report

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Glad you are already halfway there or more with a Norwegian heritage! You get to sample all the culinary treats we had, like a nicely boiled potato.

I am all of Norwegian extract, from Minnesota with all family coming from Norway. Guess that makes me a Native American. Mom's side of the family is filled with Ole's and Ingomar's and Helga's and my great great great grandparents were Herold or Olav, Gustav, Eric, Knut or maybe Bob.

Dad's side of the family was not so full of great anythings, just a lot of guys not important enough to be remembered even by their kids, but guys who liked to vacation in the southern countries in the winter a lot, and maybe raise a rukus or two with the locals.

But my wife is pure Polish, born in France as the Germans invaded the town her parents were in. So I am used to lots of lefsa while growing up and plenty of pierogi now. Hmm, wonder how pirogis would be stuffed with lutefisk. Now that would be really something.

na zdrowie

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Haleigh Poutre Update!

The DSS which has wanted to kill the poor little kid now can claim exclusivity in the continuation of little Haleigh in what may be her future, and wins, so far! The DSS never rests. But hope remains...

Hats of to The Republican for this reporting.

WESTFIELD - A judge will not force the state to restore hospital visiting privileges to the biological mother of child abuse victim Haleigh Poutre.

Suffolk County Superior Court Kathe Tuttman this week denied two of three emergency injunctions filed on behalf of Allison Avrett, of the Feeding Hills section of Agawam.

Along with the injunctions Avrett filed a $12.5 million lawsuit against the state Department of Social Services last month, saying she was coerced into giving the girl up for adoption and now is deprived of her companionship.

Girl's biological mother denied visitation

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Fox News in Rhode Island also reports this news on Haleigh...

BOSTON The biological mother of a brain-injured girl will not be allowed to immediately resume hospital visits with her daughter.

A Suffolk Superior Court judge this week denied an emergency injunction filed by lawyers for Allison Avrett.

Avrett is the birth mother of 12-year-old Haleigh Poutre.

Judge denies visitation to birth mother of injured girl

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Here is another report on Haleigh...

BOSTON -- The biological mother of a brain-injured girl will not be allowed to immediately resume hospital visits with the girl following a judge's decision denying an emergency injunction filed by lawyers for the mother. Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman this week denied two of three emergency injunctions filed on behalf of Allison Avrett, the birth mother of Haleigh Poutre, 12.

The second sought to restore Avrett's access to current medical information about Haleigh.

"We are obviously disappointed but we are not discouraged," Avrett's lawyer, Elizabeth Clague, told The Republican of Springfield. "We absolutely have options and we will purse those in terms of getting Allison in to see Haleigh."

Judge denies visitation to birth mother of injured girl

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"We will not be silent. We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will give you no rest."

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Bloomberg.com on Senator Rick Santorum...

By contrast, Santorum barreled into a recent event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harrisburg, the state capital, body- slamming the faithful, hugging the blue-haired ladies and barking like a seal in his high-pitched voice that can be heard above the din.

Others may trim their sails, but not Santorum, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1990 and the Senate in 1994. In his world, women should stay home with the kids no matter their income, and abortion is akin to slavery. He held a funeral when his wife had a miscarriage and flew to Terri Schiavo's bedside to pray with her parents. He blames the priest sex-abuse scandal on Boston liberals. And he's Mr. Pork, delivering taxpayers' money to the state.

Santorum's Woes May Be Omen for Republicans: Margaret Carlson

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Baltimore Sun...

Over the past five years of the Bush presidency, Republican congressional majority and political ascendancy of the religious right, the term "values" has gained currency in our national lexicon. So-called social values issues such as gay marriage, "intelligent design" and the Terri Schiavo case have helped to determine close elections.

But.........

One more acknowledgement of the honed divide between the left and right defined by Terri's legacy...

I must be hoping the good Doctor wouldn't be advocating national health plans like some neighbors. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could enjoy the prompt, loving, and competent care of, uhhh, Canada, UK, or.....(Actually the french were not that bad in a way, prompt, loving even, but not top quality. We have experienced that, too.)

A recent visit of ours with a doctor friend in Canada drove home the horrors some Canadians may face with the system, such as we would find hard to grasp.

A true 'values' issue: health care for everyone

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Support of Terri gave this candidate the Sheetz inspiration to fight against anyone who might challenge his oxymoronic orthodoxy.(IMHO of course)

WILKES-BARRE – Chris Carney said he chose to enter the 10th District congressional race in March 2005 when he saw the man who would become his opponent at a Sheetz gas station in Gettysburg.

Carney was returning from a work trip in Washington, D.C., in March 2005 and saw U.S. Rep. Don Sherwood at the Gettysburg filling station. He knew exactly where the Tunkhannock Republican was going.

That day Congress convened a special session and approved a bill that transferred the right-to-life case of Terri Schiavo from a Florida state court to a federal court. Sherwood voted to approve the measure.

Carney stresses values and need for change

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Praising with faint damns...They see Santorum's loss as a given.

And Santorum?

(Spend time in Pittsburgh talking with voters and that's the story they understand, remember and don't like. Not the book. Not residency. Not K Street. Not Terry Schiavo. The cyber school.)

John Baer | Casey vs. Santorum: Not about winning, but about how not to lose

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Here is another Corker...Terri factor, too.

National Right to Life says that in 10 votes during the 2005 and 2006 sessions, Ford voted for the group's position twice -- including for the bill that allowed federal courts to review the Terri Schiavo case in Florida and for the bill to prohibit adults from transporting minors across state lines for abortions to evade parental-notification laws.

Two of the votes NRL cited were on another issue on which Corker and Ford differ: embryonic stem-cell research, which scientists hope will lead to development of new treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries and other maladies.

Corker opposes federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. Ford supports it and has consistently voted to allow it.

On guns, gays and God, Corker and Ford agree

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Vana...The Terri factor.

Rep. Vana, by contrast, opposes the unconstitutional voucher program, opposed intervention in the Schiavo case, agrees that the dike presents a serious problem and favors the Democratic plan of a statewide pool for hurricane insurance. She and Mr. Siedlecki do favor changing the Save Our Homes amendment to allow people to take their tax break when they move.

Vana over Siedlecki

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>> Hmm, wonder how pirogis would be stuffed with lutefisk. Now that would be really something.

If there are any left over, you could use them as hand grenades.

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Lamont/Lieberman...the Terri factor.

Ned is also getting back to the basic themes, like health care's perverse effects on business, Lieberman's vote for the Energy bill, Terry Schiavo, the war in Iraq, and Joe's general cheerleading for the right-wing. This isn't just the progressive message that worked in the primary, it's a general message that's blowing out Republican candidates around the country. Ned really brought this one home, and I think Connecticut residents are going to look at Lamont and say 'this guy could be our Senator'. That's a big hurdle to get over.

Debate Train to Crazy Town

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Crist, more,....the Terri factor.

While campaigning in Orlando on Wednesday, Crist responded to the criticism by saying his silence last year during the Republican-led attempt to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case should tell voters all they need to know about where he stands on end-of-life issues.

Critics say Crist's positions a mystery... Prominent advocacy groups say Charlie Crist has avoided answering their questionnaires.

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MSNBC.....the Terri factor.

Huhhh?

1. One-Party Control: This is probably the single most important similarity framing this cycle. In order for a "change" election atmosphere to work for the minority party, the party in power has to be viewed as in control of everything. And right now it's clear that Republicans are in charge. Still, GOP partisans will argue that no one really controls the Senate without 60 votes, but that doesn't resonate with voters. A Republican is speaker of the House, a Republican is Senate majority leader and there's a Republican in the White House. And thanks to the controversy involving Terri Schiavo, the public presumably views the judiciary as skewing to the right.

Similarly, in '94, there was no denying that the Democrats were in charge. Democrats held all three positions.

On the Trail: Is This '94?... 5 reasons why this will be just like GOP revolution — and 5 why it won't

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Anti-Fox News reports....the Terri factor.

Comment: The Fox folks are such a piece of work. Congress doesn't need gridlock in order to do nothing. They did almost nothing this past session. It'll keep them (Democrats) from "meddling in things they shouldn't meddle in?" Does the name Terri Schiavo ring a bell? Are we to believe that Bush hasn't vetoed any bills because -- being such a nice guy and all -- he hasn't wanted to offend or say no to congressional Republicans? And who is it again who loves to spend money?!

Fox Anchor: If Dems Win Big in November Bush Will "Finally be Able" to Veto Bills & Rein in Spending

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Comas

Newswise — Newspaper articles skew coverage of comas by focusing heavily on patients who are more likely to awaken and recover, thus possibly leading the public to believe that coma patients have better odds than they truly do.

These findings of a Mayo Clinic study on how U.S. newspapers cover comas are published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. This study is the first of its kind and follows a study published earlier this year in Neurology on how comas are represented in film. The lead author of both articles is Eelco F.M. Wijdicks, M.D., a neurointensivist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Dr. Wijdicks traces the public’s interest in coma patients to the Terri Schiavo case, which created intense interest in how coma patients are treated. Schiavo’s situation illustrates the need for the public to be well informed about comas, Dr. Wijdicks says. The number of newspaper stories about coma increased in Florida after the Schiavo case.

Reporters Struggle to Cover Comas in Newspaper Articles

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This is getting eerily similar to Judge George Greer using his office to abuse and eventually kill the victim of a crime in Florida. It was evil. Here a heartless state agency refuses to let an innocent mother visit her hospitalized child. Allison Avrett's love would be the best possible therapy for Haleigh, but the state won't let the child have that love and help. Outrageous!

Don't forget, this is the same DSS that tried to KILL this innocent, abused child -- probably to sell her organs for transplant. The judge thinks this is responsible behavior? That Haleigh will be safe with bureaucrats who tried to kill her?

Here, as in Terri's tragic story, the state is intentionally inflicting misery on the innocent. Why?? What is its interest in tormenting this child? Hasn't Haleigh been abused enough with the beatings and starvation inflicted by her late stepmother?

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How cute? If only..... If Mikey would have realized paperwork was more than what he uses it for in the bathroom, he would have done the right thing and obeyed Terri's wishes to live. Or not.

There seems to be confusion on the upcoming marriage amendment. Whether you have decided how you are voting, you should understand the misconceptions that currently exist.

Currently, an individual selects who has visitation rights and who has their power of attorney. You do not need to be married to be named by a "partner," and your sex does not matter.

Whether you're in a conventional marriage, single or with a same-sex partner or cohabiting with another person of the opposite sex, you have an obligation to get the proper paperwork in place. Only ignorance and not taking the proper steps create the problem.

Remember Terri Schiavo? That could have been avoided had the proper paperwork been completed.

Letters: Marriage amendment has long-lasting effect

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