A US court has come under the spotlight this month, amid claims that judges could be about to revoke a death certificate issued to a teenage girl.
Jahi McMath, 13, suffered a cardiac arrest due to complications arising from what was supposed to be a routine tonsillectomy, in December 2013.
While two doctors pronounced her brain dead; her family moved her to a hospital in New Jersey, where they won the right to keep her on a ventilator, on account of their religious beliefs.
According to local reports, Jahi’s mother Nailah does not want to take the teen off life support on account of her strong Christian faith.
The family has applied to a court in North Carolina to revoke the death certificate issued for Jahi three years ago. They are claiming that videos of Jahi allegedly twitching her fingers and responding to her mother’s verbal commands show that she still has brain function.
Retired neurologist Dr Alan Shewmon is supporting the family in their court application.
The hospital, however, is claiming that Jahi’s brain damage is beyond repair and, without a ventilator, she has no chance of survival.
Their lawyers are also claiming that they have not been presented with the aforementioned videos; and, without them, they cannot conduct a full investigation into the alleged activity.
Jahi’s family filed documents calling for her death cert to be revoked earlier this month, on July 13, and it is believed that a final ruling will be made over the coming weeks.
In an interview with a local media outlet, Jahi’s mother, Nailah, recently claimed that her daughter is ‘way more responsive’ of late.
Nailah explained that Jahi can move her arms and legs, turn her head from side to side, and bend at the waist. She added that she gives a ‘mandatory’ manicure and pedicure to her daughter every Friday, to keep things ‘normal’ for her.
“She’s still asleep – I don’t use the term brain death towards my daughter. I’m really just waiting, and faithful that she will have a recovery,” she said.
We will keep you updated on Jahi’s case as more information emerges.
