Parents of Sextuplets Head Back To Court To Fight B.C. Government
The parents of the sextuplets are back in the news. They are heading back to court to fight the B.C. government's seizure of their babies for potentially life-saving blood transfusions.
Their lawyer, Shane Brady, said his clients want the court to rule that their constitutional rights were violated.
"The family's very upset with what happened," Brady said. They were never given an opportunity to defend themselves."
The parents, who have never spoken to the media, are Jehovah's Witnesses whose religion forbids blood transfusions under any circumstance.
On Jan 31st the B.C. Government seized 3 of the remaining 4 sextuplets so that they could receive blood transfusions.
Specific details of the sextuplets birth weight, gestation and given names have never been released and are being protected under a publication ban.
It is believed that the babies were born between 24 and 26 weeks gestation each weighing about 1 lb 8oz's.
On Feb. 21, the parents were to appear in B.C. Supreme Court to appeal the Liberal government's decision to allow doctors to give transfusions to three of their kids.
But the court battle was postponed after the Ministry of Children and Families asked for an adjournment of proceedings because of the massive amount of information that had been forwarded in the case.
Brady said the parents want to pursue the appeal even though the government gave control of their children's medical future back to them after they started court proceedings.
"If the government took control of your child and they made certain assumptions and statements and maybe even authorized treatment that you objected to I would think for many parents that wouldn't be the end of the story," he said.
The couples lawyer would not elaborate on the current health on the remaining sextuplets except to say that they are 'healthy'.
I am proud that the B.C. Government stepped up and made a decision that was in the best interest of these babies. There is no way that a baby born weighing 1 1/2 lbs could thrive and grow without a blood transfusion.
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