Baby to stay on life support after TX Supreme Court denies Fort Worth hospital’s petition
The Texas Supreme Court has denied the petition of a Fort Worth hospital on baby Tinslee Lewis, meaning she will be allowed to stay on life support, according to the state ruling.
The case is scheduled to go to trial, according to WFAA-TV, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s media partner.
Cook Children’s Medical Center had urged the Texas Supreme Court to make a swift decision in the life of Tinslee, a Fort Worth baby who has been on life support at the hospital.
Tinslee’s medical treatment has been a subject of multiple trials. The 1-year-old was born in February 2019 with a rare heart condition. Her family has fought for her continued treatment while the hospital argues Tinslee’s condition will never improve and treating her is causing needless suffering.
In July, after months of deliberation, the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth sided with the family and ruled that Tinslee could remain on life support. The decision was a reversal of a judge’s ruling in January that she could be taken off life support.
In August, the hospital appealed and asked the Texas Supreme Court to review the case, arguing that Tinslee continues to suffer, and that the appeals court’s decision unlawfully declared a central provision of the Texas Advance Directives Act unconstitutional.
In a response on Sept. 14, Tinslee’s family and attorney Joe Nixon filed a response to the hospital’s request for review. In it, Tinslee’s mother, Trinity Lewis, said she “acknowledges that certain medical procedures, such as IV insertions, can cause (Tinslee) pain, but (Tinslee) is not in agony.”
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 2:59 PM.
