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Brain tumour 5 year old taken by parents

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The media are making a lot of this story at the moment implying that somehow the parents "stole" the child and fled abroad.

 

In fact what they did was remove their child against medical advice. I wasn't aware that was a crime. If they want their child to spend his last days in Spain surrounded by his loving family rather than in hospital connected to tubes and drips then isn't that their prerogative?

 

Why are the police involved. Why are the family being criminalised?

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I believe they are Jehova's Witnesses.

 

Hence the publicity.

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Depends on their motives and the likelihood of a recovery. If it turns out that the decision is based upon the fact that the family are Jehovah's Witnesses, then it's a blatant case of child abuse and the parents should be behind bars.

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The media are making a lot of this story at the moment implying that somehow the parents "stole" the child and fled abroad.

 

In fact what they did was remove their child against medical advice. I wasn't aware that was a crime. If they want their child to spend his last days in Spain surrounded by his loving family rather than in hospital connected to tubes and drips then isn't that their prerogative?

 

Why are the police involved. Why are the family being criminalised?

 

Only the patient can or can or cannot consent to treatment. When the patient is unable to consent, then the medics will act in what they believe to be the patient's best interest.

 

It is best practice to include the family in any decision and in the vast majority of cases the family's wishes are respected because both parties are acting in the best interest for the patient. If the medics believe that the parents wishes are not in the child's best interest, then they will put their case forward to a court who'll decide upon what is the best course of action. It's worth noting that there are courts on standby at all times to act in cases of urgency.

 

All I know about this situation is that the child is feed via a pump and it is thought that the pumps batteries may well have run out already, so that is a worry. Also the parents are both Jehovah's Witnesses which may complicate matters, as what the medics believe is the best interest for the patient may well be in contradiction with the parent's wishes.

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without knowing the exact reasons and circumstances why the parents removed the child it's hard to know whether or not the parents religeon played a part in their decision. the child had already undergone surgery which would no doubt have required a blood transfusion this would suggest that they had a pragmatic approach to the interaction of their beliefs and the real world.

 

if you would like a random bit of speculation based on no evidence at all then i'd say they were aware that their child was going to die and they took him to a place he liked where he could pass away in peace with his family around him.

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The child was undergoing essential treatment including the use of a feeding pump. In none of the reports I have read does it say his condition is / was terminal.

The parents have endangered his life by removing him from the hospital in the way they have especially since if the battery runs out on the feeding pump he will receive no nourishment. Whatever their motives may be it cannot in any way be considered to be in the child's best interests and they need to be found and the little boy returned to the hospital for care. The parents will then need to face the consequences of their actions.

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..................the child had already undergone surgery which would no doubt have required a blood transfusion......................

 

This is very far from being certain, I also can't see where it says that the child has undergone surgery.

Edited by JFKvsNixon

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This is very far from being certain.

 

very true but it seems likely and as there is no report of the child being made a ward of the court or taken into care then it suggests that the parents were content enough with the treatment.

 

i'm sure they will be located soon and then we will know.

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very true but it seems likely and as there is no report of the child being made a ward of the court or taken into care then it suggests that the parents were content enough with the treatment.

 

i'm sure they will be located soon and then we will know.

 

The worry is that the child can only be fed via a pump which only has a battery that is designed to be used over a short period of time, like transferring the patient to another ward or to the toilette and back.

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This is a very sad story and to charge the parents with child abuse would be totally wrong. The boy is extremely ill. Parents of very sick children are desperate and do things that they would normally not do. They will be clutching at straws and will take any chance they can get if it may help their son. I truly feel for them in their predicament and hope they are found soon. What they need is sympathy and understanding, Bonzo77, not charging with a crime.

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We have to remember that children are not our property, they are in our care, as guardians.

The state requires that we as parents conform to certain preconditions for the safety and well being of the child, not the sentiments of the guardians. Love for your child isn't a get out jail free card. If a parents action puts a child's life in danger or pain and runs different to that of the state then I personally don't see a crime being instigated as wrong. Why have a child protection agency if not.

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Those who have never been in the same position as the parents will never understand. I have been in that position, I understand what they did perfectly

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