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California girl left brain-dead after tonsillectomy California girl left brain-dead after tonsillectomy
(35 minutes later)
The body of a 13-year-old California girl who was declared brain-dead after complications from a tonsillectomy has been released to her mother, according to the Oakland hospital where she was being treated.The body of a 13-year-old California girl who was declared brain-dead after complications from a tonsillectomy has been released to her mother, according to the Oakland hospital where she was being treated.
The chief of paediatrics at the Children's Hospital and Research Center, David Durand said in a statement that the Oakland coroner gave Latasha Winkfield custody of Jahi McMath's body and that her destination was unknown, according to a hospital statement. The chief of paediatrics at the Children's hospital and research centre, David Durand, said in a statement that the Oakland coroner gave Latasha Winkfield custody of Jahi McMath's body and that her destination was unknown.
"She is safely out of Children's," tweeted Chris Dolan, an attorney for the family, on Sunday evening. "She is safely out of Children's," tweeted Chris Dolan, a lawyer for the family, on Sunday evening.
Jahi's family reached an agreement on Friday with the hospital allowing her to be moved to a different facility if they did so before 5pm local time on Tuesday, when a restraining order keeping the hospital from removing her from life support was set to expire.Jahi's family reached an agreement on Friday with the hospital allowing her to be moved to a different facility if they did so before 5pm local time on Tuesday, when a restraining order keeping the hospital from removing her from life support was set to expire.
Jahi was admitted to the hospital on 9 December to have her tonsils removed and for other procedures to address sleep apnoea. After surgery she went into cardiac arrest and suffered brain swelling.Jahi was admitted to the hospital on 9 December to have her tonsils removed and for other procedures to address sleep apnoea. After surgery she went into cardiac arrest and suffered brain swelling.
The hospital declared her brain-dead three days later and made plans to remove her from the ventilator, but Jahi's family fought in state and federal court to keep her on life support.The hospital declared her brain-dead three days later and made plans to remove her from the ventilator, but Jahi's family fought in state and federal court to keep her on life support.
The case has drawn international attention, as well as support from relatives of Terri Schiavo, who died in Florida in 2005 after a 15-year battle over whether to keep her body alive in a persistent vegetative state.The case has drawn international attention, as well as support from relatives of Terri Schiavo, who died in Florida in 2005 after a 15-year battle over whether to keep her body alive in a persistent vegetative state.
"I have everything in place, I just need to get it moving," Chris Dolan, an attorney for the family, told KPIX 5 in San Francisco on Sunday."I have everything in place, I just need to get it moving," Chris Dolan, an attorney for the family, told KPIX 5 in San Francisco on Sunday.
He said McMath would be moved "come hell or high water" before the deadline, though he did not elaborate. He said McMath would be moved "come hell or high water" before the deadline, though he did not elaborate. To move the girl, her family needed to provide transportation and find a facility willing to take her, both the hospital and the family have said.
To move the girl, her family needed to provide transportation and find a facility willing to take her, both the hospital and the family have said. An extended-care facility in Long Island, New York, the New Beginnings community centre, offered to care for the child. But it was not immediately clear if the family had accepted the offer, and Dolan could not immediately be reached for further comment.
An extended-care facility in Long Island, New York, the New Beginnings Community Center, offered to care for the child. But it was not immediately clear if the family had accepted the offer, and Dolan could not immediately be reached for further comment.
Jahi's lungs and heart are only continuing to function because of air being forced in and out of her body by the ventilator, without which her breathing and heartbeat would cease, according to medical experts. Unlike a person in a coma or a vegetative state, McMath lacks any brain activity, rendering her unable to breathe on her own, doctors said.Jahi's lungs and heart are only continuing to function because of air being forced in and out of her body by the ventilator, without which her breathing and heartbeat would cease, according to medical experts. Unlike a person in a coma or a vegetative state, McMath lacks any brain activity, rendering her unable to breathe on her own, doctors said.
Hospital officials have said facility and state health officials were investigating how a routine operation led to her condition.Hospital officials have said facility and state health officials were investigating how a routine operation led to her condition.
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