Roman Catholic Blog posted about the heartbreaking story of a 19-month old boy who died last week:
AUSTIN, Texas (CNS) — Emilio Gonzales, a 19-month-old boy whose care became the focus of a debate over what constituted proportionate medical care, died May 19 at Children’s Hospital of Austin.
Emilio, who had been blind and deaf since birth, was admitted to the hospital Dec. 27 with a collapsed lung. He was also diagnosed with Leigh’s disease, an incurable disease which causes the central nervous system to break down.
Emilio’s mother, Catarina Gonzales, had obtained a restraining order forcing Children’s Hospital of Austin to keep her son on a respirator. He was on life support when he died.Â
RCB claims in the post title that the doctors wanted to kill the baby. But it isn’t that easy. This child suffered from an incurrable disease of the central nervous system. Bishop Aymond of Austin even said that the extraordinary treatment that the parents demanded “will only result in greater pain for Emilio, without curing or improving the condition from which he suffers.”
I can understand family members not letting go. The loss of the child must be painful beyond words. Yet at some point, it becomes cruel to artificially extend the life of a terminally ill patient. It seems that little Emilio was beyond that point. Claiming that the doctors wanted to kill the baby is an uncharitable judgement.
May Emilio go with God. Amen.