DIVORCE IN CONNECTICUT ENDORSES WEST HARTFORD, CT PARENTS LOU AND LINDA PELLETIER!

For several years, Justina Pelletier of West Hartford had been in the care of Dr. Mark Korsen of Tufts University Medical Center with a diagnosis of Mitochondrial Disorder. 

 

Last February 2013, Justina had a downturn as the result of the flu and was referred to a gastroenterologist at Boston Children's Hospital for treatment. However, once Justina was admitted to Boston Children's Hospital, the medical staff there decided that all Justina had was Somatoform Disorder or hypochondria and refused to provide her with the necessary treatment she required. 

 

Dissatisfied with this mental health diagnosis, Mr. and Mrs. Pelletier sought to remove their daughter from the hospital and have her return to Tufts for treatment.  However, when they tried to do that, Boston Children's Hospital called security and filed a report against the Pelletiers, accusing them of medical child abuse. 

 

DCF then had Justina committed to the psychiatric ward of Boston Children Hospital for a year.  Subsequently, she was transferred to a group psychiatric facility for young people known as "Wayside" in Framingham, MA.  

 

During all this time, Justina received no treatment for her Mitochondrial Disorder and became increasingly weaker.  "She is going off a cliff," Lou Pelletier said of his daughter, who is now confined to a wheelchair. "She looks awful and is pale and her hair is falling out. Her gums are receding and she has no body strength."  

 

Before this crisis, the West Hartford, CT teen had lived an active life and film clips of her ice skating in the weeks before ending up at Boston Children's Hospital have been widely distributed on the internet. 

 

On March 25, 2014, Judge Joseph Johnson, a Massachusetts judge gave permanent custody of Justina to Massachusetts DCF stating that Mass. DCF will make the decision as to whether Justina is ready to be returned to her family. 

 

Of course,  the irony is that Justina Pelletier is not even a Massachusetts citizen!  She is a resident of Connecticut! 

 

While the Massachusetts DCF did all that it could to pass this case on to the Connecticut DCF, that agency didn't want to have anything to do with the case. 

 

Why? 

 

Because it is clear that the situation with Justina Pelletier is a complete embarrassment and a disgrace to the State of Massachusetts, to Boston Children's Hospital itself, as well as to Judge Joseph Johnson. 

 

Even more absurd is that there are now plans in place for Justina to be transferred to the Susan Wayne Center For Excellence here in CT.  But even though she will be in CT, she will still be in the custody of Massachusetts DCF.  In my view, that is a violation of the jurisdictional authority of the State of Connecticut.  I would be interested in obtaining some legal commentary regarding that point from readers who have a legal background.

 

Ultimately, Parents have a constitutional right to make medical decisions in regard to their own children, and I would state, Parents have that right particularly when their decisions are backed up by respected medical authorities such as the doctors at Tufts University. 

 

In another ironic twist to this story, Mr. and Mrs. Pelletier have been required to return to the treatment provided at Tufts University, their original treatment providers, in order to regain custody of their child. 

 

This is a clear cut case of government intrusion and interference, of psychiatric wrongdoing, and an organized smear campaign to destroy Mr. and Mrs. Pelletier's excellent reputation as parents. 

 

Consequently, Divorce in Connecticut stands fully behind Mr. and Mrs. Pelletier in their fight to bring Justina back home.  I understand Justina crossed the border back into Connecticut today.  Welcome Home! Justina!

Special Note:  I know many individuals have fought hard on behalf of Justina Pelletier, and I want to than them for all their hard work.  I also wanted to commend the strength and courage of Rev. Patrick Mahoney in speaking the truth to power to legislators, to the Governor of Massachusetts, and to all the people who need to hear this story and take the right action to bring Justina home.