Legal Defense Fund for Medical Child Abuse

My friend, Kay, is the best mom in the universe. Kay and Mark are loving, attentive, proactive and dedicated parents to their two adolescent boys. The boys have complicated medical issues and have endured illness, pain and numerous evaluations by medical specialists. They have been seen by experts at several top-rated hospitals over years in a Herculean “no stone unturned” effort to establish physician-directed care. Even without a definitive diagnosis, a fine-tuned team of physicians succeeded in creating the best possible care plan to support these boys for well over a decade.

Then, in a horrible twist of fate, their son’s very real medical complaints were misconstrued as abuse by a “child abuse pediatrician” with no previous knowledge of this case. A hospitalization for their older boy became the family’s worst nightmare when this doctor intervened. Instead of receiving informed medical care, their son was removed from his loving family, distanced from his long-standing, esteemed medical team and put under Child Protective Services (CPS). Parents were subsequently accused of fabricating their son’s medical issues. This is variously referred to as Munchausen-by-proxy, fictitious disorder or medical child abuse. The situation quickly spiraled out of control as their second child was also removed from his parents home, interrogated and placed in protective custody by the state. This cascade of events began with a single encounter in the emergency room by a doctor with no previous knowledge of these boys or their parents.

This story has many parallels to the Justina Pelletier case which erupted in 2013 at Boston Children’s Hospital. As for these boys, Justina’s is diagnosed with a metabolic disease, a diagnosis based broadly on clinical judgement in the absence of a specific genetic finding. Justina was removed from her parents by CPS for 18 months while her parents fought charges of Munchausen-by-proxy. While a judge eventually ordered that Justina be reunited with her family, and charges against her parents were dropped, the Pelletiers lost a medical malpractice suit against Boston Children’s Hospital. Child Protective Services (CPS) play a necessary role in protecting children from harm. However, when these services are misused and parents are wrongly accused, families are torn asunder. Ironically, the same services that are meant to protect children create even more harm to families when they misjudge a situation. The cost for legal defense of a single state abducted child in cases that go to trial can be $250,000.00 to the family.

Please donate to the legal defense for Kay and Mark who so desperately want their family back together. Every penny raised here will go directly to expenses and legal fees for Kay and Mark in this fight. Please be assured that this fundraiser only benefits me by helping my friends to recover their children. I’ll be writing checks on their behalf.

In the unlikely event that a trial is averted, and/or funds collected exceed actual legal costs, any excess will be directed to Mito Action to help support other families facing similar charges. See: https://www.mitoaction.org/resources-planning/medical-child-abuse/

I’m also a mother of complex children with special needs. My now adult daughters were diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder at ages 21 and 23, respectively. I am certain beyond doubt of the innocence of these caring parents. If my friend, Kay can stand accused of medically induced child abuse, anyone can.

Nancy LeGendre

Note: names have been changed in an effort to protect the innocence of these boys and their parents.