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Texas hospital will follow order to take pregnant woman off life support Family says brain-dead pregnant Texas woman has been taken off life support
(35 minutes later)
A Texas hospital said on Sunday it will follow a judge's order to remove life support from a pregnant, brain-dead woman. The family of a brain-dead, pregnant Texas woman said on Sunday that she had been removed from life support, following a judge's ruling that a Fort Worth hospital was misapplying state law in the case.
JR Labbe, a spokeswoman for John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, issued a statement that said the hospital "will follow the court order" that was issued on Friday in the case of Marlise Munoz. A statement sent by lawyers for the husband of Marlise Munoz on Sunday afternoon said she was disconnected from life support at about 11.30am CST (1.30pm ET). It said her body was released to her husband, Erick Munoz, and that the family is now looking to lay her to rest.
Judge RH Wallace gave the Fort Worth hospital until Monday at 5pm to comply with his ruling to remove Munoz from life support, which her husband Erick Munoz says she would have wanted. Earlier in the day, the John Peter Smith Hospital had said it would follow a judge's order to remove life support. In an order issued on Friday, Judge RH Wallace gave the hospital until Monday at 5pm to comply with his ruling.
Marlise Munoz, 33, was 14-weeks pregnant when her husband found her unconscious on 26 November, possibly due to a blood clot. Marlise Munoz, 33, was 14-weeks pregnant when her husband found her unconscious on 26 November, possibly due to a blood clot. Munoz was kept on life support because the hospital claimed it would be illegal under Texas law to withdraw treatment, since the fetus would die as a result. In court documents released on Friday, the hospital accepted that the fetus was not viable.
Munoz was kept on life support because the hospital claimed it would be illegal under Texas law to withdraw treatment, since the fetus would die as a result. In court documents released on Friday, the hospital accepted that the fetus was not viable. The hospital had based its case on a line in the Texas Advance Directives Act of 1999 which states that "a person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment … from a pregnant patient". Wallace, a district judge , ruled that the hospital had misapplied the statute. "Mrs Munoz is dead," he said.
The hospital based its case on a line in the Texas Advance Directives Act of 1999 which states that "a person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment … from a pregnant patient."  On Sunday, the hospital said in a statement that it saw its role as "not to make nor contest law but to follow it".
Wallace, a district judge in Fort Worth, ruled that the hospital had misapplied the statute. "Mrs Munoz is dead," he said. The hospital said in the statement that it saw its role as "not to make nor contest law but to follow it".