TX - pregnant wife unresponsive on life support, husband hopes to fulfill her wishes

[jjenny]

I may be wrong but I think the rules vary by state. It is my understanding, that in Texas, a Justice of the Peace calls for an autopsy in cases of unattended violent death or where a crime is suspected. Neither of those situations applied to Marlise. In this particular case, I think elected officials just want it to fade from everyone's memory.

JMO

What if father decides to sue (for whatever reason). Wouldn't it be better if there was an autopsy? Frankly I am curious as to what exactly was wrong with the fetus. Was it a genetic abnormality precent since conception? That has been suggested by some experts.

 

[jjenny]

BBM.

I sincerely ask this with respect. Why?

Why would you "like to know what horribly deformed is", for THIS fetus? Why is it not enough to know that it IS horribly deformed, and was not viable, and gestating in a brain dead woman? I am very puzzled by this, and suspect/ hope that voyeurism or exploitation isn't the motivation.

Is it so that the next time a 14 week pregnant woman dies from a sustained hypoxic/ anoxic episode, we will all know "something" to help science and medicine bring the baby to term in the brain dead mother? IDK what other motivation there could be?

Not viable at 22 weeks. Doesn't mean it was never going to be viable.
This was completely misreported.
Hospital only said that fetus was not viable at the time of the hearing. Very few fetuses are viable at 22 weeks. So this was to be expected.

 

[faw720]

Here is what I THINK, is a link to the Texas autopsy law. Not absolutely sure because this references 'criminal' but possibly applicable.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CR/htm/CR.49.htm

 

[faw720]

Autopsies could provide very useful information for the future, as well, imo. The ME may not feel it's necessary and the family may be opposed to it. And that's certainly their right (at least it appears to be). But it would be useful, imo, for the docs to have as much information as possible about, if nothing else, whether the baby's condition was attributable, in whole or in part, to the mother's condition. I can imagine surviving family members in the future having their decisions informed based on the limited information provided in this case. They might make different decisions based on the cause of the baby's condition here. jmo

Respectfully, IMO, the Munoz family may very well know information that we are not privy to.

 

[Karmady]

Respectfully, IMO, the Munoz family may very well know information that we are not privy to.

Yes, they may. Maybe my post is being confused with Scarlett's -- which focuses on the family wanting to know. It seems that the family has decided that either they don't want to share what they know, or don't want to find out what they don't know. Which, as I said, appears to be their right in this case. I was thinking more of non-family members. Families and docs who might be faced with similar in the future. Just for example, if my dd was life support and I knew that this baby's issues were created by the mother's condition I might make a different decision about wanting my dd on continued life support than if this baby had congenital defects with nothing to do with the mother's condition.

jmo

 

[MNSuz]

Do you anticipate a lawsuit by her husband? I'm not the suing sort, unless something egregious has occurred. I'd sure like to see some action on his behalf.


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[Herding Cats]

I don't find one part of this whole thing 'sadder' than any other. Two lives were lost, one a baby/fetus, the other a Mother/woman. The lives affected -father, sibling/child, parents, extended family - will always grieve the loss; will always miss the 'might have been.'

This whole thing is sad...and was sad the day MM died...before the hospital put her on LS. It will be sad for everyone involved for the rest of their lives.

There are women who die while pregnant "all the time"; while that doesn't make things less sad, it makes it more bearable...it happens, and it sucks. But it's part of how life goes sometimes.

I'm sad for everyone...and I think we all are, too. Some may be more relieved than others that MM and baby have finally been released from this earth, set free to fly with angels, and dance with God...but I know that we are all sad that she and the baby died in the first place, back last year.

God rest MM, EM, and all of those who knew her, and who tended her during this time. Rest.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Amster]

"Our client, Erick Munoz, has authorized us to give notice that today, at approximately 11:30 a.m. central time, in accordance with the order of the 96th District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, issued Friday, January 24, 2014, Marlise Munoz's body was disconnected from 'life support' and released to Mr. Munoz.," Heather King and Jessica Janicek said in a statement. "The Munoz and Machado families will now proceed with the somber task of laying Marlise Munoz's body to rest, and grieving over the great loss that has been suffered. May Marlise Munoz finally rest in peace, and her family find the strength to complete what has been an unbearably long and arduous journey."

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/...to-end-care-for-brain-dead/?intcmp=latestnews

Lay Marlise Munoz to rest....no mention of her baby. So sad for this little one....

 

[Amster]

Do you anticipate a lawsuit by her husband? I'm not the suing sort, unless something egregious has occurred. I'd sure like to see some action on his behalf.


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Hasn't he already filed suit against the hosp.?

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Hasn't he already filed suit against the hosp.?

As far as I know, the only suit that was filed so far, was to have her removed from the ventilator because the hospital refused to. By law she was deceased and therefore no longer a patient.

 

[Fairy1]

Lay Marlise Munoz to rest....no mention of her baby. So sad for this little one....

This wasn't a "baby" or a "child" but an undeveloped and severely compromised fetus. There is a difference.

My sorrow is for those who are left to live without the wife, daughter and mother who has left this world much too soon.

 

[Fairy1]

It never ceases to amaze me how intolerant and judgmental the fanatical "pro-lifers" are of those who are actually LIVING.

 

[txsvicki]

If I were the grandmother I'd want to know if the baby was a boy or girl, and maybe make note on the headstone. Of course, cutting into the body would be stressful to think about.

 

[Elley Mae]

This wasn't a "baby" or a "child" but an undeveloped and severely compromised fetus. There is a difference.

My sorrow is for those who are left to live without the wife, daughter and mother who has left this world much too soon.

I did notice how the different papers/journalist would use the word child versus fetus, baby.

 

[Fairy1]

If I were the grandmother I'd want to know if the baby was a boy or girl, and maybe make note on the headstone. Of course, cutting into the body would be stressful to think about.

Why? The grandmother has lost her own daughter. Someone she raised and knew and loved and will mourn all the rest of her days.

 

[jjenny]

Why? The grandmother has lost her own daughter. Someone she raised and knew and loved and will mourn all the rest of her days.

She also lost a potential grandchild.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

It never ceases to amaze me how intolerant and judgmental the fanatical "pro-lifers" are of those who are actually LIVING.

It's unbelievable to me, how many people are calling the father a murderer in SM and comments.

I wish people would at least take time to educate themselves on brain death and how that would affect the fetus.

People are saying the lawyers are lying about the condition of the fetus. They have no reason to lie. They wouldn't do that and risk looking foolish if things came out different later.

The oxygen, blood flow and nutrition would all be compromised to the baby. I just can't see how people are saying the fetus suffered when the mother died, as apposed to suffering already, or if born would suffer horribly while they did all kinds of things to the baby before it passed due to being extremely premature with multiple complications requiring surgeries.

<modsnip> don't seem to be able to think any farther than "it's a fetus", regardless of suffering or viability outside of the womb if born.

They post these feel good one in a million stories, but have no clue to the ones that suffer horribly.

Everything I said is moot really, because this should never have happened, never been in the news and no ones body should be experimented on without donating their body, or agreeing to experimental treatment.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

If I were the grandmother I'd want to know if the baby was a boy or girl, and maybe make note on the headstone. Of course, cutting into the body would be stressful to think about.

Considering they mentioned something about the sex organs and deformities they may not be able to tell.

 

[atthelake]

I disagree. I think that fetus should be autopsied. But that is just my opinion.. Nothing more.

I'm speechless as to a response to this statement ....ftlog ...

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[atthelake]

We are all wanting the best for the family. I believe that after all this time the cause of death should be known. That is my opinion. It is just that. An opinion.

I would like to know what horribly deformed is? SO far I heard that the child may have some limb issues and water on the brain.
I have seen children that have some incredible limb deformities become amazing people.
The fact is they can not know unless they do an autopsy on that baby what was really wrong with him and why.

YOU would like to know?! That is exactly the point perhaps. As a family member they have let them go. The family obviously does not want to know or need to know.