Vacaville Parents Running Out Of Time For Son Declared Brain-Dead
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) – "This time I want you to wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
A Vacaville mom pleads with her son to wake up and for hospitals all around the country to care for him. He has been declared brain dead at a hospital in Roseville making it difficult for the family to get help.
"We're going to get out of this baby," said Jonee Fonseca, the mother of 2-year-old Israel.
It's a race against time and at the price of losing the rights to their son.
"A judge basically said we have 48 hours to find a facility that will actually do a tracheotomy," said his father Nate Stinson.
Israel suffered traumatic brain injuries following an asthma attack that left him without oxygen for 40 minutes.
Doctors declared the boy brain dead and by law that's considered a fatal determination.
New Jersey is the only state to accept patience with brain death certificates. They either have to find him a hospital there, or find one that will at the very least administer a breathing tube to buy more time
"We don't know what we're going to do. We're very confused about it," said Stinson.
Alexandra Snyder with Life Legal defense was able to get a court order to continue life support for Israel, but that ends Friday.
"I absolutely believe this is the parent's choice. It's not for the state of California, it's not for the doctors to make this declaration as long as this child's heart is beating," said Snyder.
The family has taken videos of their son making slight movements. They believe he is very much alive and said they'll continue to fight for till the end.
"We're definitely hoping and praying that someone will take her son in the next 48 hours all we can do is hope for the best. That's all we can do," said Stinson.
The family tried to get their son into the same hospital that accepted Jahi McMath. She's the Oakland girl declared brain dead back in 2013.
Her family won a court battle to have her moved to a New Jersey hospital, she is still on life support.
Israel was denied, but the reason hasn't been released.
