NorthBySouthBaranof (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
NorthBySouthBaranof (talk | contribs) m NorthBySouthBaranof moved page Jahi McMath to Jahi McMath case: Not a biography of the person |
(No difference)
|
Revision as of 11:29, 19 February 2014
Jahi McMath | |
---|---|
Born | Oakland, California, United States | May 26, 2000
Died | December 12, 2013 Oakland, California, United States | (aged 13)
Nationality | American |
Parent(s) | Mother: Latasha "Nailah" Winkfield (née Spears) Father: Milton McMath Stepfather: Marvin Winkfield |
The Jahi McMath case centered around a 13-year-old girl who died after surgery, and her family's public and legal battles to reject the medical finding of death and keep her body on life support despite ethical objections from her doctors.[1]
On Dec. 9, 2013, Jahi suffered massive blood loss and consequent cardiac arrest after undergoing surgery aimed at relieving symptoms from sleep apnea. The loss of blood circulation caused fatal injuries to her brain, according to doctors at Children's Hospital Oakland. Her family refused to accept the medical declaration of death, asserted that Jahi was not dead and initiated legal proceedings.[2][3][4][5] On January 3, 2014, the Alameda County coroner’s office issued a death certificate for McMath with a date of December 12, 2013. A cause of death was not included pending an autopsy.[6]
According to court documents,[7] McMath was admitted to Children's Hospital Oakland on December 9, 2013 to perform three procedures:
- an adenotonsillectomy - removal of the tonsils and adenoids
- a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) - removal of the uvula
- a submucous resection of bilateral inferior turbinates
It was hoped these procedures would provide improved airflow during her sleep at night.
After the surgeries were performed, McMath was conscious and recovering and asked for a popsicle, according to her grandmother, while in the recovery room. She was later moved to the ICU before she started to bleed from her nose and mouth and went into cardiac arrest. Despite the family's description of the surgery as routine, the hospital said in a memorandum presented to the court that the procedure was a "complicated" one.[8] During this time, blood flow to the brain was lost for an undisclosed period of time. On December 12, 2013 she was declared brain-dead by doctors at the hospital and her family was informed that, as her brain had died, she was legally dead and that life support systems would be removed.[7] After the family petitioned Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Evelio Grillo approved an independent second opinion. Paul Graham Fisher, the chief of Child Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine, was appointed by the court and he reaffirmed the diagnosis of brain death.[9][10]
The family appealed to the legal system to force the hospital to continue life support measures until other arrangements could be made by the family.[11][12] McMath's mother claimed that declaring McMath dead under the Uniform Determination of Death Act violated her freedom of religion and privacy.[13] Alameda County Superior Court granted an extension to keep McMath on a ventilator until January 7, 2014,[12] but refused the family attorney's request for hospital staff to insert tracheostomy and feeding tubes.[14]
On January 5, 2014, Children's Hospital released Jahi McMath's body to the Alameda County coroner, which then released her body to the custody of her mother, Latasha "Nailah" Winkfield.[15][16][17][18] The family reports that the girl is being maintained on life support at an undisclosed location.
References
- ^ Simon; Schoichet, Catherine E. (December 24, 2013). "Judge: California teen is brain dead after tonsil surgery". cnn.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Fernandez, Lisa. "Judge Orders Oakland Hospital to Keep Jahi McMath on Life Support". NBC News.
- ^ "Jahi McMath's family, Oakland hospital discussing girl's transfer". CNN.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Henry K. Lee. "Hospital agrees to let Jahi McMath family take girl". SFGate. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Banks, Sandy (January 3, 2014). "In Jahi McMath saga, science and religion clash". latimes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Branson, Hailey (January 5, 2014). "Jahi McMath, brain-dead teen, transferred to undisclosed location". latimes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ a b "Judge grants restraining order keeping brain dead Oakland girl on ventilator through Monday". Oakland Tribune.
- ^ "Jahi McMath, Girl Left Brain Dead From Routine Tonsillectomy, To Be Kept On Life Support". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Jahi McMath: Judge denies petition to keep girl on ventilator past Dec. 30". San Jose Mercury News.
- ^ "Document: Hospital's petition opposing an independent expert, asking to lift the order to keep Jahi McMath on life support". San Jose Mercury News.
- ^ ""Urgent" Request to Keep 8th Grader Jahi McMath on Life Support After Tonsillectomy". NBC Bay Area.
- ^ a b "Extension Granted to Keep Jahi McMath on Life Support". NBC Bay Area.
- ^ "Hospital says conditions must be met for Jahi McMath's transfer". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Jahi McMath Family Cleared to Take Brain-Dead Teen From Hospital". NBC Bay Area.
- ^ Branson, Hailey (January 5, 2014). "Jahi McMath's body released from hospital". latimes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Jahi McMath: 13-year-old brain-dead Oakland girl moved by family from hospital". Contra Costa Times.
- ^ "Brain dead girl Jahi McMath released from California hospital". CNN.
- ^ "Lawyer for Jahi McMath's family says brain dead teen is on feeding tube and 'improving'". nydailynews.com. January 8, 2014.