Free Justina Pelliter
- by: Jennifer Bernard
- recipient: President of the United States Barack Obama, Governor Deval Patrick, Department of Family and Children of Massachusetts, and Boston Children's Hospital
Justina Pelliter has been caught in the middle of a high-profile medical dispute and child custody battle involving two major Boston hospitals, the state’s child protection agency, and the Pelletiers, who want to bring their daughter home. The parents are deeply upset after being told Justina Pelletier would be sent into foster care, and away from a Framingham, Massachusetts residential facility where she has been living for the past month.
Prior to the Framingham placement, Justina spent about a year in the locked psychiatric ward at Boston Children's Hospital despite the objections of her parents and in conflict with a diagnosis from Tufts Medical Center doctors that the teen suffered from Mitochondrial Disorder .(Justina's sister is also diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disorder)
A team of doctors at Boston Children's said her symptoms were psychosomatic, according to the family. The hospital then filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, as required by law, because they suspected the parents of child abuse for subjecting their daughter to invasive medical treatments and denying her mental health therapy. They laid out a treatment plan for Justina, which her parents refused to sign, and on Feb. 14, 2013, when they attempted to check their daughter out of Boston Children's to take her back to Tufts Medical Center to resume medical treatment, the family said they were told by Boston Children's that they could not discharge Justina.
"This case could not have developed had it not been for flagrant violations of patients' rights when Justina and her parents arrived at Boston children's Hospital a year ago," said spokeswoman Bridget Mildon. "We continue to demand that these violations be remedied by allowing the parents' original doctor of choice to determine what's in the child's best interests, and to advise the court in that capacity."
Pelletier said he and his wife have been only allowed to see their daughter on one-hour weekly supervised visits. They say her condition has deteriorated because the hospital has stopped all medical treatment for Mitochondrial Disease.
"She is going off a cliff," Pelletier said of his daughter, who is now confined to a wheelchair. "She looks awful and is pale and her hair is falling out. Her gums are receding and she has no boer. "I am battling the medical world that thinks it knows everything." Dr. Mark Korson, Chief of Metabolism at Tuftsdy strength. The system has failed," said Justina's father Lou Pelletier. "I am battling the medical world that thinks it knows everything."
Dr. Mark Korson, Chief of Metabolism at Tufts Medical Center, has been an advocate for Justina, according to the family, who say they worry lack of proper medical care could be fatal for their daughter.
Free Justina Pelliter. Please research this cause on your own time and then donate to www.freejustina.com!
We, the supporters of Justins Pelliter, call for a complete internal investigation into the unfair custodial kidnapping of Justina Pelliter by Boston's Children Hospital and the Department of Family and Children from her parents.
Justina has clearly been diagnosed by Tufts Medical Center with Mitchondrial disorder as well as her sister. Boston Children Hospital declared that she was misdignosed and called the Department of Family and Children because they believed that Justina's parents were not providing her with the proper medical treatment. Every procedure preformed on Justina prior to being at Boston Children Hospital was conducting through proper diagnosis from the team of specialist at Tufts Medical Center.
Justina Pelliter has been caught in the middle of a high-profile medical dispute and child custody battle involving two major Boston hospitals, the state’s child protection agency, and the Pelletiers, who want to bring their daughter home. The parents are deeply upset after being told Justina Pelletier would be sent into foster care, and away from a Framingham, Massachusetts residential facility where she has been living for the past month
Prior to the Framingham placement, Justina spent about a year in the locked psychiatric ward at Boston Children's Hospital despite the objections of her parents and in conflict with a diagnosis from Tufts Medical Center doctors that the teen suffered from Mitochondrial Disorder
A team of doctors at Boston Children's said her symptoms were psychosomatic, according to the family. The hospital then filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, as required by law, because they suspected the parents of child abuse for subjecting their daughter to invasive medical treatments and denying her mental health therapy. They laid out a treatment plan for Justina, which her parents refused to sign, and on Feb. 14, 2013, when they attempted to check their daughter out of Boston Children's to take her back to Tufts Medical Center to resume medical treatment, the family said they were told by Boston Children's that they could not discharge Justina.
"This case could not have developed had it not been for flagrant violations of patients' rights when Justina and her parents arrived at Boston children's Hospital a year ago," said spokeswoman Bridget Mildon. "We continue to demand that these violations be remedied by allowing the parents' original doctor of choice to determine what's in the child's best interests, and to advise the court in that capacity."
Pelletier said he and his wife have been only allowed to see their daughter on one-hour weekly supervised visits. They say her condition has deteriorated because the hospital has stopped all medical treatment for Mitochondrial Disease.
"She is going off a cliff," Pelletier said of his daughter, who is now confined to a wheelchair. "She looks awful and is pale and her hair is falling out. Her gums are receding and she has no boer. "I am battling the medical world that thinks it knows everything." Dr. Mark Korson, Chief of Metabolism at Tuftsdy strength. The system has failed," said Justina's father Lou Pelletier. "I am battling the medical world that thinks it knows everything."
Dr. Mark Korson, Chief of Metabolism at Tufts Medical Center, has been an advocate for Justina, according to the family, who say they worry lack of proper medical care could be fatal for their daughter.
Free Justina Pelliter.
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