Would you remove your daughter from the hospital too?
Dad of missing cancer patient, 11: 'She's in very good hands'
As authorities continue to look for Emily Bracamontes, 11, who is suffering from leukemia and was removed from Phoenix Children's Hospital by her mother last Wednesday, her parents are saying they have no plans to bring her back and that she is "well." NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
Parents of a young leukemia patient whisked out of a Phoenix hospital last week say that she is fine and getting care now in Mexico.
Emily Bracamontes, 11, was last seen on surveillance cameras with her mother walking through Phoenix Children's Hospital, ducking into a bathroom. In an interview with NBC News in California, Emily’s father, Luis, said that his wife removed their daughter from the hospital because of concerns over his daughter's care. Bracamontes told NBC News there was also pressure from the hospital regarding the family’s insurance and the mounting bills from Emily’s treatment.
Bracamontes says his daughter is doing well and is being treated in Mexico, although he declined to say exactly where.
“She’s well,” Bracamontes, 46, told NBC News. “She’s fine. She is in very good hands now.“
Over the weekend Bracamontes was questioned by the border patrol as he crossed back into the United States from Mexico. He says he had nothing to do with the little girl’s removal from the Arizona hospital.
Emily’s mother spoke on the phone to NBC from Mexico: “I am the one who took Emily from the hospital,” she said.
Emily spoke by phone to her dad:
“Hi daddy,” Emily said.
“How are you,” Luis asked
“Good,” she answered.
Phoenix police are still looking for the little girl and her mom and have suggested that the parents might be guilty of child endangerment. The concern is that once Emily’s mom disconnected her from her IV tubing, there was a risk of infection through the catheter that is threaded into her skin, through a major vein and terminating in her heart.
“There is a criminal element to this from the standpoint that we don’t know the motive or the reason why the mom removed Emily from the hospital,” said Sgt. Steve Martos. “We’ve been told by doctors that the minute the little girl gets an infection, certainly just a matter of days, could result in her death. “
Dr. Clinton Coil, a patient safety officer at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, explained that some catheters are meant to be used long term.
“There are catheters that a patient can have for days or even weeks without having any problems,” Coil, who is not one of Emily’s doctors, explained. “Other catheters are designed for short term use.”
Ultimately, Coil said, “Parents want what’s best for their child.”
Emily’s parents, who have not been charged with a crime, say they were concerned about a bacterial infection that developed in Emily’s right arm that eventually led to the arm being amputated.
“I’m very upset, angry and without any answers about what happened,” Luis Bracamontes said. “And why we were treated this way.”
The hospital, prohibited by federal law from talking about the child’s medical treatment, declined to be interviewed by NBC News, but released a statement.
“Phoenix Children’s Hospital is deeply concerned about Emily’s safety and well-being,” the statement read. “If Emily’s family has questions about her care, we encourage open communication and discussions of options with the care team. Clinical decisions are not based on ability to pay."
For his part, Luis Bracamontes says his only concern is for his daughter.
"This was done for Emily," he said. "I want justice for Emily."
New World Peace
I would absolutely take my child out if I felt for any reason the child wasn't being cared for properly and I could get better care else where.
Well, I wouldn't remove her with the tube cap off, the way I read this Mom did. That tube goes directly into the child's heart. After the tubes are out? Sure, if I thought it was best for her. As I recall, the girl was being released the following day anyway. We don't have all the facts here.
Oh for Pete's sake. They are the parents and the ones with a vested and true interest in the life and well-being of their child. Why does there now have to be a criminal element to the situation? Do you lose the rights to your children once they are admitted to a hospital? Maybe we all need to be reading the fine print on the admission paperwork? While I would have insisted on her release with the tubes out, I know doctors have superiority complexes and do not always cooperate. Mexico has excellent doctors and treatments we do not with far less policital and financial involvement from outside groups that actually treats the patient and I am sure that was a hard and last resort decision made by the parents. And frankly, I don't know what I would do as I don't have a child in that position, but I would like to think I would have the sense to demand my child's release AMA safely and the competence to care for infection and know the signs of distress or worsening condition while they were in-transit.
Quoting babyspots17:I would absolutely take my child out if I felt for any reason the child wasn't being cared for properly and I could get better care else where.
Quoting mitty18:I wouldn't do it in the way they did and put the child at risk.
I'd have them remove the stuff and sign her out AMA.
Since I do not have a Medical degree ( MD) I would not be foolish and arrogant enough to take my child from a hospital where she is being TREATED FOR CANCER.
SMH.
Quoting TranquilMind:Well, I wouldn't remove her with the tube cap off, the way I read this Mom did. That tube goes directly into the child's heart. After the tubes are out? Sure, if I thought it was best for her. As I recall, the girl was being released the following day anyway. We don't have all the facts here.
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- NWP
on Dec. 5, 2012 at 2:55 PM