An attorney for the family of aCalifornia teenager who was declared brain-dead says doctors have found signs of brain functions. Now, the lawyer is seeking an unprecedented court order declaring her alive.
Attorney Chris Dolan said Thursday that doctors at the nonprofit International Brain Research Foundation made the findings after running a series of tests on the 13-year-old Jahi McMath at Rutgers University last week.
The discovery came months after three doctors, including one appointed by a judge, declared McMath brain-dead, and Alameda County issued a death certificate after her Dec. 9 sleep apnea surgery went awry.
Since then, Jahi’s mother has pushed for keeping her daughter’s organs functioning on life support, first at Children’s Hospital in Oakland and later at an undisclosed medical facility in New Jersey.
Dolan said Jahi and her parents moved to a house in New Jersey about a month ago as the girl remains on life support.
On Thursday, Dolan showed video clips to a small group of reporters that he says proves Jahi is still alive. One clip shows her twitching her foot after her mother asks her to move it. Another shows hand movement in apparent response to her mother’s commands.
Source: People.com