Baby's Life Hangs on Texas Law

Baby's Life Hangs on Texas Law

abcnews.go.com

Catarina Gonzales knows her baby is terminally ill and that one day she'll have to let go. But it's not yet time, she and her attorneys contend in their legal clash with hospital officials who say it's best to stop Emilio's life-sustaining treatment.

A Texas law lets the hospital make that life-or-death call. The latest legal dispute over the law Emilio's case goes to court again Tuesday, the day his life support is set to end.

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The family wants to keep their baby alive, and the hospital is making a "quality of life judgement" in effect wanting to terminate the baby's life.

Who should have the right to decide in a case like this?

abcnews.go.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Terminally ill patients should have the right to end their own life in my opinion.

In this case the patient is not capable of making that decision. The responsibility should then fall on the family.

However, the only thing keeping the kid's body alive is the selfishness of the mother. The child is brain dead. She is wasting taxpayer money maintaining the pulse of a corpse.

If she wishes to continue this action, against doctors recommendations, she should be allowed to do so. But she should carry the full financial burden. Medicaid coverage should be revoked.

[edit on 9-4-2007 by apc]