Boy at center of life-support case dies: was in the custody of ChildProtective Services...

Boy at center of life-support case dies

11:08 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 30, 2007

By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...l.334db9b.html

A 2-year-old Grand Prairie boy at the center of a dispute over the
state's futile-care law died of natural causes Wednesday morning at
Children's Medical Center Dallas – a year after the hospital's ethics
board ruled that doctors could take him off life support.


Daniel Wayne Cullen II had gained attention in the media and among
lawmakers after his mother, Dixie Belcher, obtained an emergency
restraining order preventing the hospital from disconnecting his
machines. He had been on a ventilator since April 4, 2006, when he
pulled out a tube in his trachea that helped him breathe.

His case was one of several examples used by right-to-life advocates
during this legislative session as lawmakers debated changes to the
Texas futile-care law.

Following the state law, the hospital's ethics board decided last May
that there was nothing more doctors could do and gave Ms. Belcher 10
days to find another facility. Daniel was eventually transferred in July
to a pediatric nursing center near Tyler.

But his severe brain damage never improved.

At 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday, after being transferred back to Children's
Medical Center with uncontrollable blood pressure, Daniel died.

"He just took a turn for the worse," Ms. Belcher said. "God was picking
his angels, and he was needing another little boy."

It was the second time Ms. Belcher faced an end-of-life decision for one
of her children. Fifteen years ago, she consented to a doctor's
recommendation to remove from life support her 5-month-old daughter who
also suffered breathing problems. She vowed not to do it again.

The state Senate passed a bill this month extending the minimum time for
families to transfer patients after an ethics board decision from 10
days to 21 days. But the bill failed in the House before the state deadline.

Groups on both sides of the issue said Daniel's case underscores the
need for compromise on the law, which will probably come up again when
the Legislature convenes in 2009.

"Though he was sick, his life had value to me personally and to many
others," said Elizabeth Graham, director of Texas Right to Life.
"There's no reason to speed a patient to his death by withdrawing or
denying care."

Amanda Engler, spokeswoman for the Texas Hospital Association, said the
group plans to send its members guidelines based on concerns that were
addressed in the bill that failed.

"I think all of these cases just point to the serious ethical issues
that we're going to have to face sooner or later," she said.

Information about the cost of Daniel's care wasn't available Wednesday,
and those involved are usually hesitant to talk about the expense of
end-of-life care.

But in another case, involving an 18-month-old Austin boy, Emilio
Gonzales, the Austin American-Statesman reported that his treatment
reached $1.68 million for 142 days in a hospital's intensive-care unit.
The hospital said it expected to collect $389,000 in reimbursement from
Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income.

Because Daniel was in the custody of Child Protective Services, his care
probably will be paid for by Medicaid.

Daniel was born three months premature with severe breathing problems.
Nurses at Children's Medical Center were immediately worried about Ms.
Belcher's ability to care for him, given his many medical problems and
the stability of her home.

During Daniel's life, Ms. Belcher moved between two places – a
smoke-filled apartment where she also cared for her ailing mother and
where neighbors accused her relatives of dealing drugs, and a motel room
where she often argued with the baby's father.

She was in the apartment when Daniel removed his trachea tube. Police
found filthy conditions and accused Ms. Belcher of neglect. CPS
eventually obtained permanent custody of Daniel, but Ms. Belcher
retained her parental rights.

On Wednesday morning, after doctors told her Daniel had died, Ms.
Belcher said she entered his hospital room. It was the first time in
more than a year he wasn't connected to machines.

She held him in his white blanket covered with green, red and blue baby
feet. She rubbed his hair and told him she loved him. She told him that
she would miss him and that he was in good hands.

She thought of her daughter Jamie, now gone 15 years.

"I had to actually make myself leave," she said, "because if I didn't, I
would have held Daniel all night."







CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.

BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...