Yahoo Lifestyle Parents lose daughter to a hospital in a bitter custody battle
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Justina Pelletier, from Connecticut in the US, was a normal, happy, seemingly healthy 15-year old girl until she was admitted to hospital earlier this year with a flu.
Justina had been diagnosed years earlier with mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination. Despite the disease, Justina carried on living a normal life.
In February this year, Justina was taken to Boston Children's Hospital to see her specialist. She was suffering from flu. Shortly after, Justina's parents, Lou and Linda Pelletier, were told by a new team of doctors that they were not allowed to take their daughter home. The doctors also began to question her original mitochondrial disease diagnosis.
The Hospital then diagnosed Justina with somatoform disorder and involved child services in the case. Somatoform disorder is a psychological illness that is characterised by symptoms that suggest physical illness but cannot be identified.
The Pelletier's were escorted from the hospital by security staff and four days later they lost custody of their daughter. As Linda Pelletier told Fox CT, “They came in, and they said we cannot take Justina out of the hospital. They called DCF.”
Justina's psychologist, Dr Dean Hokanson, says the Pelletiers are being punished for "being too active in pursuing healthcare matters for their child".
Boston Children's Hospital have so far refused to comment on what Justina's father, Lou Pelletier, calls "kidnapping", however Fox CT obtained documents that suggest they felt her parents were "overmedicalising" their daughter.
One document reads, “Due to concerns regarding Justina’s regressive behavior changes around her family, the multiple medical procedures and care episodes she has been through … and both parents’ resistance towards recommended treatment plans for Justina … a child protection team was convened.”
Nine months later, Justina is still in hospital and is only allowed one hour-long visit per week and two twenty-minute phone calls with her parents.
The Pelletiers are still fighting the case through the courts and have a court date set for December 5.
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