Warrant For Mom Of Boy Refusing Chemo

[Guest guest]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/19/national/main5025817.shtml

Warrant For Mom Of Boy Refusing Chemo

Mother And Son Missed A Court Hearing; Boy, 13, Has Hodgkin's Lymphoma,

Considered A Treatable Cancer

NEW ULM, Minn., May 19, 2009

(AP) A judge issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for the mother of a 13-year-old

boy resisting chemotherapy after the pair missed a court hearing on his welfare.

Brown County District Judge Rodenberg also ordered that Hauser be

placed in protective custody so he can get proper medical treatment for

Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The cancer is considered highly curable with proper treatment, but quit

chemo after a single treatment and with his parents opted instead for

" alternative medicines, " citing religious beliefs. That led authorities to seek

custody. Rodenberg last week ruled that 's parents, Colleen and

Hauser, were medically neglecting their son.

The family was due in court Tuesday to tell the judge results of a chest X-ray

and arrangements for an oncologist. But 's father was the only one who

appeared. He told Rodenberg he last saw Colleen Hauser on Monday evening.

" She said she was going to leave, " Hauser testified. " She said, `That's all you

need to know.' And that's all I know. "

He said his wife left her cell phone at home.

The family's doctor, Joyce, testified by telephone that 's tumor has

grown and he needs immediate assessment by a pediatric cancer doctor.

Joyce said he examined on Monday, with an X-ray showing that his tumor

had grown to the size it was when he was first diagnosed.

" He had basically gotten back all the trouble he had in January, " the doctor

said.

was accompanied by his mother and Daya, who Joyce said was an

attorney from California.

Joyce testified that he offered to make appointments for with oncologists

at Children's Hospital, the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic or elsewhere,

but the Hausers declined.

He also said he tried to give more information about lymphoma but that

Daya, and his mother left in a rush.

" Under Daya's urging, they indicated they had other places to go, " Joyce

said.

Daya did not immediately return a page left on her cell phone Tuesday by The

Associated Press. Her voice mailbox was full.

Besides examining 's chest X-ray, Joyce also said he asked how he

was feeling. The doctor said the boy told him he had pain on the right side of

his chest, which rated a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Joyce said the pain was around the port that was inserted into 's chest to

administer chemotherapy. He attributed the pain to the growing tumor, which is

pushing the port out of place.

also told the doctor he had a cough, though he wasn't having any trouble

breathing, Joyce said.

's court-appointed attorney, Phil Elbert, asked Joyce if was at

risk of substantial physical harm if no action is taken. The doctor said yes.

In his ruling last week, Rodenberg wrote that he would not order chemotherapy if

's prognosis was poor. But if the outlook was good, it appeared

chemotherapy and possibly radiation was in the boy's best interest, he wrote.

's lymphoma was diagnosed in January, and six rounds of chemotherapy were

recommended. underwent one round in February but stopped after that

single treatment. He and his parents sought other opinions, but the doctors

agreed with the initial assessment.

Colleen Hauser testified at the earlier hearing that her son " is not in any

medical danger. " She said she had been treating his cancer with herbal

supplements, vitamins, ionized water and other natural alternatives.

Rodenberg wrote that state statutes require parents to provide necessary medical

care for a child. The statutes say alternative and complementary health care

methods aren't enough.

He also wrote that , who cannot read, did not understand the risks and

benefits of chemotherapy and didn't believe he was ill.

testified that he believed the chemo would kill him and told the judge in

private testimony unsealed later that if anyone tried to force him to take it,

" I'd fight it. I'd punch them and I'd kick them. "

The Hausers, who have eight children, are Roman Catholic. They also believe in

the " do no harm " philosophy of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious

group that believes in natural healing methods advocated by some American

Indians.

© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be

published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.