Doctors can deny life-saving measures to a terminally ill toddler if his parents refuse to sign a do not resuscitate order, a judge has ruled.
Dezeioun Crudup Jr has spent the entire agonizing 27 months of his life in intensive care at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
His seriously underdeveloped lungs mean he struggles to get enough oxygen and his heart stops at even the smallest agitation, requiring CPR to revive him.
He is constantly sedated and on painkillers to prevent these episodes, but the treatment becomes ineffective over time and he is already having ‘difficult to control agitation’.
Doctors testified in the hospital’s lawsuit against the boy’s parents Paulina Casillas, 22, and Dezeioun John Tarre Crudup, 25, that his condition is ‘without hope’.
Resuscitating Dezeioun again and again merely causes him ‘physical injury, unnecessary pain, and suffering’ with no chance of recovery.
‘Patient is not expected to ever walk, talk, or have meaningful interactions,’ the hospital’s lawyer wrote in its petition.
‘Continued resuscitation efforts are medically inappropriate and likely to result in unnecessary pain and suffering to the patient as well as the potential for long-term injury from such efforts.’
Dezeioun Crudup Jr has spent the entire agonizing 27 months of his life in intensive care at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock
The hospital said it explained this many times to Dezeioun’s parents, but they refused to allow doctors to abandon resuscitation efforts.
Dezeioun required a prolonged period of CPR in February ‘resulting in a global brain injury resulting in further complications’.
This meant his condition ‘precipitously declined’ and further lowered his standard of life and made his oxygen loss problem worse.
One of the boy’s doctors, Ronald Sanders, explained at a hearing on April 7 that Dezeioun ‘exhibits a lack of brain activity and reflects no signs of change or improvement in his condition’.
Tensions between the parents and hospital staff have been high for many months, and spilled over last August when Casillas allegedly attacked a nurse.
Casillas grabbed the ponytail of PICU nurse Aprille Davis, 41, from behind and slammed her head into a table, the arrest report alleged.
She then allegedly dug her fingernails into Davis’ face and tried to gouge out her eyes. The nurse suffered scratches to her neck and face.
Casillas allegedly told another nurse, Janet Croy, 59, to ‘get out of this room or I’ll beat your ass’.
Police explained that the alleged attack was prompted by Casillas’ refusal to keep the lights on in her son’s room and the curtains open, which both nurses said they told her repeatedly she had to do.
Judge Shaun Johnson ruled in favor of the hospital, giving Dezeioun’s parents until 5pm on April 21 to agree to a DNR order, or the hospital would be allowed to enforce one over their objections
Casillas told police she had numerous run-ins with Davis and requested a new nurse for Dezeioun, but the hospital refused.
She said the attack on Davis came after Croy ‘hollered’ at her about the lights and curtain and she ‘stormed out and put my hands on Aprille’.
The mother admitted grabbing Davis’ ponytail and pulling her around by it, but not to threatening Croy.
Casillas was charged with misdemeanor terroristic-threatening and felony second-degree battery, a Class D felony punishable by up to six years in prison.
The hospital sued to ban both parents from the hospital two days after the attack, which was resolved when Casillas agreed to stay away and receive email and phone updates.
After her son’s condition worsened in February, she was allowed back for one hourlong visit per month.
Crudup was already banned from the hospital since last May, and was allowed only restricted visits. He is not accused of wrongdoing.
Judge Shaun Johnson ruled in favor of the hospital, giving Dezeioun’s parents until 5pm on April 21 to agree to a DNR order, or the hospital would be allowed to enforce one over their objections.
‘The Court is moved by the emotions expressed and the love shown by [Dezeioun’s] parents at this difficult juncture,’ he wrote in his ruling on Wednesday.
‘[Dezeioun’s] parents have expressed a desire to review their son’s medical records closely before such an important decision about his care may be made. The court is sensitive to their needs.’
