The Fight For Justina

There has been news coverage that follows the story of Connecticut teenager Justina Pelletier, who since Valentines Day of 2013, has been in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, because her parents disagreed with the doctors at Children's Hospital of Boston, and wanted her to be transferred and treated at Tufts University Medical Center, where she was initially undergoing treatment. Justina was admitted to CHOB while suffering from the flu, and was transferred from Connecticut Children's Hospital, to see her GI doctor (the world's leading GI motility specialist) who transferred tho CHOB from Tufts. Tufts diagnosed Justina with Mitochondrial Disease, which affects multiple systems. Just before her admission at CHOB for the flu, Justina was doing well, ice skating, going to school, and being a typical teenager. A neurologist at CHOB said that Mitochondrial Disease (Mito) does not exist, and wanted to try a different approach. Lou and Linda Pelletier, Justina's parents, were open to this as they wanted to do anything to help the doctor. The doctors at CHOB decided to take Justina off all of her medication, and diagnosed her as having Somataform Disorder, a psychiatric disorder, where the illness is all in ones head. When the Pelletier's wanted to take their daughter home, and have her go to Tufts' for treatment, CHOB called the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, who removed Justina from her parents care, saying that they were preventing her from getting mental health treatment. The Pelletier family literally called 911 and said that CHOB was kidnapping their daughter, which in essence they were. The Pelletier's were escorted off the premises, and for the past year Justina has been in the custody of Massachusetts DCF, and placed in a psychiatric hospital. Her parents were only allowed to have a one hour a week supervised visit with her. Looking at pictures of Justina, before and after her admission, is shocking. One can clearly see that she is worsening, and is ill. Yet DCF and the psychiatrist's say that she is improving, yet she is paralyzed from the waste down from her muscles waisting away (which can happen with Mito), her hair is falling out, she is losing weight, and she is in constant pain.

Justina a few weeks before being admitted to Boston Children's Hospital        









            Justina after being in the custody of Massachusetts DCF.      

This past week the judge ordered that Justina remain in the "permanent" custody of Massachusetts  DCF. Their supervise visits have been suspended, to where they can only have supervised Skype visits with her once a week. Many legal experts are saying that Justina being returned to her parents is a matter of life and death, and this is about a disagreement between two hospitals, and that there really aren't any legal grounds to have custody taken from the Pelletier's. Even if she had Somataform or some other psychiatric diagnosis, it is something that can be treated outpatient, and not something that would be grounds for taking custody away of the parents. There have been "Free Justina" petitions, and the family, as well as grassroots organizations, are urging people to call either the governor of Massachusetts or Connecticut, the Attorney General of Massachusetts or Connecticut, and Massachusetts DCF. I called the governor and Attorney General of Massachusetts, urging them to return Justina to the custody of her parents.

I really sympathize with Justina and her family, because I know what it is like to be told that your crazy, that your illness is all in your head, and to have doctors disagree about diagnosis and treatment. Although it never reached the point where DCF  and the courts were involved, like it has for the Pelletier family. I have continued to pray for Justina and her family, as what they are going through is an absolute nightmare. They say Justina sneaks little notes to her family, encouraging them to stay strong. Her father Lou says that she is his hero, and that her strength is amazing. I can't imagine how scared she must be, and how alone she must feel. Ephesians 6:10 says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." This verse comes to mine when I think of Justina and the Pelletier family, as the strength that comes from God is the one thing that can get them through this difficult time. I encourage everyone to continue to pray that Justina is returned to her parents before it is to late. Sign the Free Justina petition, call the governor or Attorney General of Massachusetts and/or Connecticut, and Massachusetts DCF. Anything we can do to return Justina to her loving family. 

I will continue to pray and fight for Justina and her family. 

Joyful Love

         &

Blessings In The Lord

Alexandra K. Acosta