Teen-age Girl Forceably Held by Boston Children’s Hospital Might be Transferred Back to Connecticut
A teen-age girl who has been held at Boston Children's Hospital against her will and the will of her parents for 11 months due to a dispute in medical treatment may be transferred back to Connecticut soon. These are the reports coming out of the most recent court hearing in Boston. The judge presiding over the case has issued a gag order, so it is difficult to get details. The judge reportedly ruled that State of Massachusetts will not receive permanent custody of Justina Pelletier, where she has been held in custody in Boston Children’s Hospital “Bader 5″ psychiatric unit. It appears the judge would like Justina to go back to Connecticut, which is where she was originally being treated until Boston Children's Hospital intervened and kept her detained in their psych ward because of a disagreement over her diagnosis. The family had brought Justina in to Boston Children's Hospital to simply receive treatment for the flu. They have not been allowed to bring her home now for 11 months, as they watch her condition deteriorate, only being allowed to visit her once a week. Ted Glanzer of the West Hartford Patch has also been covering this story, and he reports that Kathleen Higgins, a former Boston Children’s nurse, wrote a Jan. 8 letter to Olga Roche, commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, stating that the hospital’s treatment of Justina in this case was more akin to “torture.” Unfortunately, Justina's story is not all that unusual. There are many cases very similar to this one, where Child Protection Services or a similar agency, is used by a doctor or hospital to seize children away from their parents when they did not comply to their recommended medical treatments.