Terri Schiavo Shouldn’t be Starved, Florida Agency Argues Before Judge

Bioethics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Mar 10, 2005   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Terri Schiavo Shouldn’t be Starved, Florida Agency Argues Before Judge Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 10, 2005

Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) — A Florida state agency told a local judge on Wednesday that there should be a 60 day reprieve before Terri Schiavo is starved to death so it can investigate allegations that she was abused and neglected.

Department of Children and Families supervisor Susan McPhee told Circuit Court Judge George Greer that Terri’s estranged husband Michael has denied her medical treatment and isolated her in her hospice room with the blinds closed and prevented her from going outdoors.

Those are just some of the "30 detailed allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation" the agency received in a 34-page document in February.

"This is a heightened situation because we are talking about the life of Terri Schiavo," DCF attorney Kelly McKibben said at a hearing before Judge Greer Wednesday, according to an AP story.

However, the Associated Press reports that euthanasia advocate George Felos, Michael’s lead attorney, scoffed at the delay request.

"DCF is simply acting as an arm of the executive branch to try to undo a court order they don’t like," Felos said.

He says Judge Greer has no jurisdiction to allow the investigation to proceed and claims dozens of previous complaints to DCF failed to substantiate any allegations against Michael.

Judge Greer could rule on the 60 day delay request as early as Thursday.

Other DCF concerns include Michael’s failure to follow state law and provide an annual guardianship and medical care plan for Terri, failure to provide Terri with medical care and rehabilitative therapy as he told a court he would do, and lack of moving Terri from her bed which has caused her "severe contractures."

"The allegations … go to the heart of whether abuse, neglect and/or exploitation has been perpetrated by the guardian such that any relief afforded by this court to this guardian prior to the conclusion of such investigation would be tragically misplaced," the petition said.

DCF adult investigations supervisor Michael Will wrote the paper.

Related web sites:
Terri Schiavo’s parents – https://www.terrisfight.org