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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Here is another article on Emmie-Rose from Saturday...

"It's a very tragic case,'' said attorney Stephen Goethel of Ann Arbor, who represents the Yannellas. "She is a kid who just refuses to die. The parents are told she is going to die, there is no hope, and she hasn't died.''

Baby girl's parents fight U-M decision to end treatments

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[8mmMauser]

What a wicked Webb..

I knew Jim Webb up close in the mid-eighties and tried to convince those in power that he was a phony and closet lib way back then, but it was a cry in the wilderness. He got promoted to Secretary of the Navy afterwards, convincing everyone he was a conservative war hero. His chosen side on matters like Terri could have been predicted twenty years ago.

It is one more example of how Terri's Legacy has brought clarity as a watershed.

Jim Webb has been a classic pretender all along, like Murtha.

Would any of us have thought on that dark day that Terri would leave such a powerful legacy to cut the fog of ambiguity as to who was truly conservative and who was actually on the other side? We have seen the same revelations with posts on our own Terri threads

In the Virginia Senate race this fall, we have Sen. George Allen who, 97 percent of the time, supports Bush proposals while our other Virginia senator, John Warner, at times breaks with the president. For example, Warner has supported raising the minimum wage, supported federal funding for stem cell research and opposed Congress' intervening into the right-to die case involving the brain-damaged woman in Florida, Terry Schiavo. Allen echoed Bush on all these issues.

Jim Webb agrees with Warner on all the positions listed above and is not a captive of special-interest groups, as is Allen.

Webb will be a thinking senator who will do what he thinks is best for the nation, not blindly support any president.

Webb's independence is similar to Sen. Warner's

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One more example of Terri's Legacy as a watershed, revealing and unmasking a RINO...

What ultimately drove Danforth to action was the Terri Schiavo case. To him, Republican leaders "abandoned with ease" the party's principles against government intervention in individual lives and federal intervention in state matters when they sought to block the removal of her feeding tube - just to please the Christian right.

Then there are the stances on stem-cell research and the federal marriage amendment, which he says are attempts to legislate a particular religious view. Republicans in Missouri are trying to make stem-cell research a criminal offense, and Danforth, an abortion opponent, has done a TV ad opposing the legislation.

ANALYSIS: 'St. Jack' hits the religious right

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Hmmmmmm...

Lincoln, NE (LifeNews.com) -- A Nebraska group that lost out on its effort to get state voters to approve an initiative to protect the elderly and disabled is upset that Secretary of State John Gale did not approve the measure for the ballot. The organization says Gale relied on outdated information in saying that it did not gather enough signatures to get on the November ballot.

Gale said that Nebraskans for Humane Care failed to turn in the necessary number of signatures to qualify.

But, the group said Gale used a higher standard for the number of signatures needed than necessary because his office used incorrect information.

Nebraska Group Upset Secretary of State Dumped Initiative on Disabled

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On awakenings, one more article...

Another therapy is electrical stimulation of the brain. An American doctor, Edwin Cooper, claims that people given electrical stimulation emerge from comas more quickly and regain functions more quickly than if they are given only traditional treatment. His work has not attracted much attention in the US ­ and was even denounced by the recently deceased expert witness in the Terri Schiavo case, Ronald Cranford, as "junk science".

CAN UNCONSCIOUS PATIENTS WAKE UP?

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Remember what happened to Senator Lieberman? Remember Lamont? Remember Mikey? Once again Terri's Legacy helps define!

I’ve been right out there on that and I feel good. I didn’t bring in many guys from out of state, but a guy named Michael Schiavo came in because it was an issue that was really really important to me. And he was good. I didn’t know; I thought, oh my gosh, he might have a real political agenda and that’s not what you want to do with a case like that. But he did so well, holding this piece of paper, shaking there at a little press thing we did. He said, "I had two tragedies. The first was when they took my wife away from me. The next was when the politicians came down and tried to exploit my tragedy.” And I think it really resonated with people, and I hope it resonated with people in Waterbury. We’re all going to find ourselves in a situation like that, and the last thing you want is Joe Lieberman and Tom DeLay and Bill Frist and everybody else joining in the decision.

Lunch with Lamont

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Another ping after #678 to wagglebee thread on DIY suicide...

Volunteers in US Death with Dignity Program Admit Actively Assisting with Suicides

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[floriduh voter]

Man's inhumanity to man is illustrated almost daily on threads about euthanasia. It's no wonder the country is headed in the wrong direction when there's such a hatred and intolerance of disabled people.

[floriduh voter]

Florida is the home of George Felos' social revolution. They don't want to take everyone's life but Terri had a lot of money so they took hers.

[floriduh voter]

Somebody IS gay and I won't say who it is. The ugly side of Florida is over on the Gulf Coast but does reach up to Tallahassee. If you don't care to believe me, go ahead. I heard Chavez of Venezuela speak at the UN this morning. He said the POTUS needed to see a psychiatrist. It seems to me when someone is correct, people come along and try to discredit that individual, whether it's me or the POTUS. Nice try. I haven't even been at Fr for a few days. I'm flattered that you felt it necessary to categorize me the way Chavez categorized the POTUS.

I am telling the truth. The People's Governor is a fraud. It's not my problem. Life's good because I know what's coming. You dont.

[floriduh voter]

I called my congressman this morning and said the UN's not working. Why do we even bother? Chavez threatened to bring down the United States in Jesus' name. I hate communists, foreign or domestic.

[bjs1779]

His work has not attracted much attention in the US ­ and was even denounced by the recently deceased expert witness in the Terri Schiavo case, Ronald Cranford, as "junk science".

Good old Cranford. He never meet a patient he didn't want to kill. It is refreshing that he is not even referred to as a Doctor any longer.

[bjs1779]

Expert $$ witness Cranford.

[Pelham]

Brent Bozell?

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Yes, I remember him well. Here is how I remember him best...

Ronald Cranford died last night in a hospice near Minneapolis. He was a good man and a good sport. We are all in his debt for his work in fighting to improve dying in america. Ron got in the trenches and helped people. We should learn from his example. - Arthur Caplan

Caplan does his best to learn the craft of improving dying.

Ronald Cranford Passes Away

[Mr. Silverback]

I am telling the truth. The People's Governor is a fraud. It's not my problem. Life's good because I know what's coming. You dont.

Um...I was defending you. Go back and reread.

[BykrBayb]

Would you like to buy a /sarcasm tag? I'm selling them real cheap this week. ; )

[Mr. Silverback]

I think I'm gonna need a gross or two, Bayb.

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Emmie-Rose has died

From the nearly overwhelming sadness, we must balance and prevail in our efforts to prevent more of these deeds visited upon this poor child lest her passing be in vain.

The sadness I feel fights to balance anger at the success once more of the bioethicists. As they hone their craft they find that simply starving a poor premature baby is an effective way to resolve the problem of who is deemed worthy to live.

Emmie-Rose, our prayers are for your soul at this hour and for strength and faith of your fine parents.

Post #36 by cgk.

To All of Our Loving, Caring Readers out there, Ms. Emmie-Rose fought Her last Battle tonight. Our Baby Girl passed away tonight around 9:45 p.m. She went fighting all the way. She is a True Hero in Our Eyes!! She has touched alot of lives in the short time She has been with Us. We are so proud of Her and all the things She has done in Her 66 Days with Us.

We Love You Sweet Princess!!! Forever and Ever, NO MATTER WHAT!! We know You are in Heaven now looking down on Us. We are so happy to know that You arent hurting anymore. Please know that Mommy and Daddy adored You and Loved You and still Love You now.

The Story of Emmie-Rose (Update: Emmie-Rose passed last night)

May we direct our sadness into resolve...

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Terri's Legacy List

(Original Ohioan from Florida's ping list, update to September 17.)



Terri on the road to recovery before the second stage began.

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From Jewish Ledger...

WEST HARTFORD n If not for Alan Schlesinger, the mid-morning political forum featuring the five candidates (or their representatives) for U.S. Senator, held last Sunday at Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford, would have been déjà vu all over again.

Ned Lamont, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator, used his 15-minutes to call for universal health care, presidential accountability for illegal wiretapping, the return ASAP of American troops from Iraq, and an end to the pork that fattens legislation. Invoking the names of Terry Schiavo and Sam Alito, and quoting everyone from the late Senator Abraham Ribicoff to the late President John F. Kennedy and even the late President Ronald Reagan, he painstakingly set himself apart from the incumbent senior Senator from Connecticut whose name he never once mentioned.

Schlesinger takes on Lamont and Lieberman at political forum

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