What Killed Baby Lucas?

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2007

Thanks for sharing that story...so sad.

Maisy:o

allnurses Guide · Oct 30, 2007

Wow, we really need to do more research.

steph

imenid37 · Oct 30, 2007

I saw this on Sunday. How unusual to have two of these cases at the same hospital. I do not think you can fault his careproviders for being suspicious of abuse. We have to report if we are the least bit suspicious. These poor parents. Their life is ruined. I do not blame dad for taking a deal. It must have been horrible to be in jail for so long.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 30, 2007

Wow.......................... how devastating and tragic. :o

I can't imagine being in their shoes. How their happy life turned upside down so quickly.

Horrible. Simply horrible for all involved. Just too, too sad. I hope justice and truth prevail in this case.. and soon.

morte, LPN, LVN · Oct 30, 2007

Wow.......................... how devastating and tragic. :o
I can't imagine being in their shoes. How their happy life turned upside down so quickly.
Horrible. Simply horrible for all involved. Just too, too sad. I hope justice and truth prevail in this case.. and soon.

from what the prosecutor says in the article this isnt going to happen....to me it is simply a case of racial/ethnic prejudice.

Jolie, BSN · Oct 30, 2007

from what the prosecutor says in the article this isnt going to happen....to me it is simply a case of racial/ethnic prejudice.

I think it is over-simplifying things to jump to the conclusion that race or ethnicity is the main factor here. There is confusing medical evidence, and prosecutors who don't want egg on their faces. The other case outlined in the article involved white parents who experienced similar treatment from prosecutors.

It is a shame that getting to the root of this baby's death doesn't appear to be the prosecutor's goal. I don't fault the medical staff for reporting possible abuse, but I do fault the medical and legal "experts" who refuse to consider medical evidence contrary to their charges.

SharonH, RN · Oct 31, 2007

How tragic. The most terrifying thing of all for the family must have been the knowledge that their son was sick and was not getting the treatment he needed because medical staff concluded that he was abused. I cannot imagine what that must have felt like. This reminds me of a case of a physician from Georgia who was accused of abusing her son and actually lost custody of the little boy to foster care because the physicians at Vanderbilt were so sure she was abusing him and they refused to even consider another possibility even after she presented research that she thought he had some rare liver disease. She ended up kidnapping him from foster care as she was desperate to save his life and bringing him to Atlanta where he was indeed diagnosed with this liver disease (I don't remember the names). Even after that, the prosecuters charged her with kidnapping but she was not convicted. Sometimes the "justice" system gets so caught up in being right, that they lose sight of their purpose.

ricemilk · Oct 31, 2007

really tragic..thanks for posting this...

Like what Liza hoped to happen, Alejandro should have stand up for what he believed and not accept the deal. They could have had a chance with the jury. It's just as good as admitting he's guilty...but then he's the one who will be in jail so typical of being human, he should save himself too.

Solving - or trying to solve - big time cases like Lucas' takes a lot of messy processes and involves amazing medical experts and consumes a great deal of time and money...but when you leave everything to the Lord, even when youre still here on earth, you'll have the answer to your questions that only your heart can know...

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" 2 Corinthians 4:17

ricemilk · Oct 31, 2007

How tragic. The most terrifying thing of all for the family must have been the knowledge that their son was sick and was not getting the treatment he needed because medical staff concluded that he was abused. I cannot imagine what that must have felt like. This reminds me of a case of a physician from Georgia who was accused of abusing her son and actually lost custody of the little boy to foster care because the physicians at Vanderbilt were so sure she was abusing him and they refused to even consider another possibility even after she presented research that she thought he had some rare liver disease. She ended up kidnapping him from foster care as she was desperate to save his life and bringing him to Atlanta where he was indeed diagnosed with this liver disease (I don't remember the names). Even after that, the prosecuters charged her with kidnapping but she was not convicted. Sometimes the "justice" system gets so caught up in being right, that they lose sight of their purpose.

Really...? I felt goosebumps reading this. That must be a world upon that doctor's shoulders. So like in a movie!

Youre right, too bad and so sad that justice sometimes live up to its "blind" icon - a lady holding a pan of weight in her hand, blindfolded.

CHATSDALE · Oct 31, 2007

many of these [prosecuters/police] are unable to admit they were wrong sometimes when faced with dna evidence, or the confession of another party

these people lost their home, years of their life, hope for the future

i don't believe that this was prejudice but i do believe that the ego of those with the power of life and death over others

leslymill · Oct 31, 2007

Praise God for Harvard trained Amish Doctor's who like tweed jackets, bow ties and bicycles.