AP Features, February 1st, 2007
Three of four surviving sextuplets received blood transfusions over their parents' religious objections after social workers seized the infants, according to the family's lawyer and court documents.
The British Columbia provincial government abruptly handed control of the infants back to the parents Wednesday when they challenged the seizure in court, said attorney Shane Brady. The children are in stable condition.
The parents, who cannot be identified under a court-ordered publication ban, are Jehovah's Witnesses, whose beliefs forbid blood transfusions even to save a life.
The sextuplets were born the first weekend in January, nearly four months premature. Two died before the province's director of child and family services stepped in Friday.
Brady said the parents did not oppose "mainstream" medical treatment but ruled out blood transfusions for the struggling babies, indicating they wanted to seek medical alternatives.
"A social worker is now making crucial medical decisions for three of our children," the father said in an affidavit filed Tuesday.
The provincial government got a judge to issue a seizure order for one of the babies Friday at B.C. Children's Hospital.
Social workers seized two others over the weekend after doctors indicated they too should receive blood transfusions, according to the affidavit.
The babies were seized despite the parents' pleas for a hearing, Brady said.
The government withdrew the seizure order Wednesday and set another hearing Feb. 22 so the parents can challenge province's conduct.
Children and Families Minister Tom Christensen said doctors have an obligation to go to authorities when they believe a child is in danger.
"We don't take any such action without a great deal of forethought, recognizing that it's a significant step for the state to interfere in a family," Christensen said outside the courtrhouse on Wednesday evening. "Our obligation to protect children is paramount."
But Brady said the transfusions made little difference in the medical state of any of the children, who remain in stable condition.
The first of the sextuplets was born Jan. 6, with the others born Jan. 7. They were premature at 25 weeks and each was not much bigger than an outstretched hand.
Jehovah's Witnesses Canada issued a statement Thursday saying hospitals in Canada and the United States have treated extremely premature infants without blood transfusions by taking smaller samples of blood and accepting lower hemoglobin levels, among other things.
