Thirteen-year-old Jahi McMath was released from a California children's hospital Sunday, almost a month after doctors declared her brain dead from complications following a routine tonsillectomy.
FAMILY ATTORNEY: "Jahi McMath has been taken from Children's Hospital and brought to a place where they will use her name instead of calling her a body." (Via NBC)
This comes after weeks of battling between the family and the hospital. Her family has been fighting to keep Jahi on a ventilator even though the doctors declared her brain dead in December. (Via WCBS)
CNN reports Jahi was first released to a local coroner over the weekend. The hospital Jahi where was being held said the coroner declared her dead before releasing her to the family.
The hospital did not keep Jahi on a feeding tube during the transfer because doctors said it was unethical to perform any procedure on a dead person.
FAMILY ATTORNEY: "So Jahi hasn't had the nutrients to really get her brain to be at its optimum place to see if she can regain that."
HOSPITAL SPOKESMAN: " ... no food, no time, no machine will ever be able to bring her back." (Via WWMT)
The family's next step is unknown. Its attorney said he won't disclose where Jahi is headed because of threats against the family. (Via ABC)
FAMILY ATTORNEY: "This has been an unusual experience. It's brought out the best in people and the worst in people. We've had people make threats around the country. It's sad that people act that way." (Via WNBC)
But one facility that has recently gained attention is "New Beginnings" in New York, which bills itself as a brain trauma center. "New Beginnings" came forward in December saying it would care for Jahi. (Via News 12 Long Island)
Wherever the family decided to go, it has some financial support — a GoFundMe page dedicated to paying Jahi's medical bills had raised nearly $50,000 by Monday morning — more than double its original goal.
