Update: family of brain-dead teen wants her declared ‘alive’
The family of a 13-year-old Oakland, California girl who was declared brain-dead by doctors last years wants her status changed to “alive.”
Jahi McMath slipped into a coma after suffering from cardiac arrest during a routine operation for sleep apnea in December.
Chris Dolan, the family’s attorney said he has “Medical experts, including world-class experts on brain death who will testify she is not brain dead.” Dolan says test results “show that Jahi has brain activity and is not brain dead – that is an improvement from being brain dead. She also responds to her mother’s voice.” Dolan says there is visual and EEG evidence of brain activity that will be shared at a planned press conference Friday.
An Alameda County Coroner signed a death certificate for Jahi on December 12th, but her family insists the girl is not brain dead.
UCSF Doctor David Durand said the hospital was aware of the petition, and that the hospital trusts that “the California courts, the Alameda County Coroner and the State of California will evaluate any claims made by the family’s attorneys and decide them in a lawful and just manner.”
He also stated that no one from the hospital had been in contact with the family since McMath’s release to the coroner in January.
Thoughts on this story?
Should the family just let go and let Jahi rest peacefully?
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