Texas hospital takes brain-dead, pregnant woman off life-support
Texas hospital accedes to judge's order, ending a tragic saga that spurred moral debate
The legal and ethical saga over a brain-dead, pregnant, Texas woman has ended.
The hospital that had been keeping her on life support against her family's wishes acceded to a judge's ruling that it was misapplying the US state's law and disconnected her.
Marlise Munoz's body will be buried by her husband and parents. She had been carrying a 23-week-old fetus.
The case became a touchstone for national debates about the beginning and end of life, and whether a pregnant woman considered legally and medically dead should be kept on life support for the sake of a fetus.
Munoz's husband, Erick Munoz, sued the hospital because it would not remove life support as he said his wife would have wanted. Erick and Marlise Munoz worked as paramedics and were familiar with end-of-life issues.
But the hospital refused his request, citing Texas law that says life-sustaining treatment cannot be withdrawn from a pregnant patient, regardless of her end-of-life wishes.
Judge R. H. Wallace on Friday sided with Erick Munoz, saying in his order: "Mrs Munoz is dead."