Where Are The Pro-lifers On This Issue?

Where are the pro-lifers on this issue? Why aren't they out there protesting this woman? Oh, I forgot!! The kid has already been born so who the hell cares!!

Minn. cancer patient back home, faces court date

NEW ULM, Minn. – A 13-year-old cancer patient and his mother who spent a week on the run to avoid forced chemotherapy faced a court hearing Tuesday to determine the boy's medical fate.

Daniel Hauser and his mother, Colleen, arrived back in Minnesota on a chartered plane early Monday after sparking a nationwide search.

Brown County court officials said a custody hearing for Daniel was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CDT.

Shortly before the hearing, family friend Dan Zwakman told reporters at the courthouse that the Hausers seemed ready to accept chemotherapy. "There's still going to be conflict, but I think we can work through it," he said.

Zwakman said he had spent about 12 hours with the family on Monday. He said Daniel had enough energy to work in the family garden, and was still very much against chemotherapy

Jennifer Keller, the California attorney who helped arrange the Hausers' return to Minnesota, said Colleen Hauser will continue to seek permission to use alternative treatments for her son's cancer "that aren't toxic."

"But she'll abide by what the court says," Keller said.

Daniel Hauser, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma and has been refusing chemotherapy, was examined by a doctor after his return. He's in the protective custody of Brown County, but was allowed to spend the night at the family farm in Sleepy Eye, with a deputy on duty, County Attorney James Olson said.

Olson said that since Colleen Hauser returned to Minnesota voluntarily, he would likely dismiss a felony complaint against her. FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said a federal charge of unauthorized flight would also likely be dropped.

But Olson indicated Colleen Hauser and her husband, Anthony Hauser, would have little choice but to go along with the court's desire to treat Daniel with chemotherapy.

"A lot depends upon the attitude of the parents, their willingness to get on board with a treatment plan," Olson said Monday.

There was no immediate response to a message left at the Hausers' home Tuesday seeking comment.

Keller said she met the mother and son on Sunday, after another attorney told her the family wanted to return to Minnesota but didn't know what to do. Keller then notified authorities and arranged for the plane. Keller said criticism pointed at Colleen Hauser is unfair.

"They always expected to return," Keller told The Associated Press in a phone interview late Monday. "She's horrified people perceive her as hiding out. That isn't what she intended."

Keller said Daniel Hauser looked fine but was tired.

"He wasn't in any acute distress," Keller said. "He was quite tired. He was very, very eager to get home."

Daniel underwent one round of chemotherapy in February, but stopped after that, citing religious beliefs. The family prefers natural healing practices suggested by a religious group called the Nemenhah Band, which says it follows American Indian beliefs.

A judge ruled the parents medically neglected Daniel and ordered them to get him an updated chest X-ray as well as select an oncologist for a re-evaluation. After the X-ray showed a tumor in Daniel's chest had grown, the mother and son left town.

The FBI said the pair flew to Los Angeles. Investigators suspected they might have been heading to one of a number of alternative cancer clinics in northern Mexico.

Zwakman, himself a member of the Nemenhah Band, told WCCO-AM earlier that the Hausers did want to get alternative treatment in Mexico but were afraid to cross the border because of reports of violence against Americans.

Dr. Bruce Bostrom, the pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota who diagnosed Daniel's cancer in January, said he was happy to hear of the boy's return.

"I'm delighted," Bostrom said. "I've been so worried that he was going to die in Mexico. I've been praying for his safe return, so I think my prayers will be answered."

Hodgkin's lymphoma has a 90 percent cure rate in children if treated with chemotherapy and radiation, but doctors said Daniel was likely to die without those treatments.

Gee, it must be nice to be able to kidnap your kid and disappear with him in order to avoid getting him medical treatment, and have all warrants against you dropped. All you have to do is come back "voluntarily" and all is forgotten!! Do you think you or I would get away with that? Hell no!!

This woman should be in jail for one reason. She kidnapped her kid to avoid a court order!! That's a crime, regardless of the fact that she came back "voluntarily". Anyone who helped hide them should be arrested too!!

If her son dies and his death is related in any way to her refusal to have him undergo chemotherapy or to this little stunt she pulled, she should be charged with his death.

As I said before, the pro-lifers are silent on this story. He's not a fetus so they don't care!! How shocking!!

P.S. She should be footing the bill for every search that was conducted in Minnesota, nationwide, and worldwide. As a taxpayer of this state, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay even a penny for this little stunt!!