Posted on 09/05/2006 4:45:45 AM PDT by 8mmMauser
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.
This is the Terri's Legacy Thread. I post here on a regular basis. I will continue to post here. If you want a pro-death thread, where only pro-death posts are allowed, start one.
I never said I was. I fully explained it, in simple terms. Try and keep up.
Talk all you want, just don't talk to me. I shouldn't have to repeat this, it's simple enough.
"If you can't deal with this forum, go elsewhere.
"
From what I understand, it is not for you to tell other Freepers to leave. Ahayes has just as much right to post here as you do, as I understand the rules of Free Republic.
Please don't tell other Freepers to leave.
"It has never been standard procedure to fill out an application with credentials before posting here. Do you have a list of everyone's credentials here?"
I have only what someone posts on their freeppage or discloses in a discussion. I believe I can ask what someone's credentials are, as long as I do it politely. They can then choose whether to provide that information or not.
The doctors told Brandon's family they'd never seen a patient completely recover after suffering this level of brain damage. So less than a week after the accident, during that critical stage when his needs were high, they disconnected all life support. On the good side, they waited until after he was dead before harvesting his organs.
Why are you continuing to disrupt the pro-life thread?
"This is the Terri's Legacy Thread."
From the title of the thread and from the story that began the thread, I thought this was a thread about Haleigh Poutre. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I pretty much go by the content of the original post.
You mean you don't know who Terri Schiavo is, or Haleigh Poutre? Try reading the thread before taking it over.
"Why are you continuing to disrupt the pro-life thread?"
I thought this thread was a news thread, about a person who is recovering from a severe illness. It's a very encouraging story. I didn't see Terri Schiavo's name anywhere in the original post.
I'm not disrupting anything. I'm participating in a thread in News/Activism.
What is germane is the credentials of a referenced SOURCE. That of the POSTER is irrelevant.
Don't be obtuse. You've been distrupting pro-life threads since you signed up. Don't pretend you don't know what you're doing. You're not good at it, but you are aware of it.
Yes, I just checked. The thread is in the News/Activism topic, and is listed under a news topic. As far as I'm aware, such threads are open for discussion by any freeper who cares to post replies.
Perhaps there is some rule I'm not aware of, but I don't think so. If there is, perhaps you can let me know what that rule is.
Well MM, at least bykr is showing you the common courtesy of pinging you when she is talking about you.
She wouldn't even do that for me.
Typical.
All thread are open for discussion. Even prayer threads. Try pooping on one of them and see how far you get.
I did give you a courtesy ping, and you told me to stop, just like your troll friend up thread. You people are loony.
LOL
the hell you did.
And I have the posts to prove it.
Unlike you.
As usual.
disruptor.
You'll have to go a long way back in my 29,000 some posts here to find me on any pro-life thread. I rarely get involved in them.
In this case, the thread has evolved into the subject of organ donation, an area which interests me.
So this is the equivalent of a prayer thread?
Unlike some in this conversation, MM doesn't disrupt threards he may or may not agree with.
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