U.S. healthcare system really does kidnap teens - victim speaks out

Thursday, January 21, 2016 by: Julie Wilson staff writer
Tags: medical kidnapping, child abuse, prisoners

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(NaturalNews) A Missouri mother has been accused of medical child abuse after requesting a second opinion regarding her 17-year old son's medical care. Isaiah Rider, who suffers from neurofibromatosis, a rare condition causing tumors on the nerves, was told he could no longer see his mother following a surgery at Luries Children's Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

"One day I woke up, and I was surrounded by a bunch of doctors, and they told me that I wasn't allowed to see my mother anymore," said Rider in a YouTube video he made after being placed in foster care following his release. "I was shocked. I was shocked."

Mother told of agency intervention after the fact

Their story began when he and his mother, Michelle, traveled to Chicago from their home in Missouri to visit specialists recommended by his Kansas City doctors. Rider underwent surgery at Luries hospital but his condition did not improve. He remained in severe pain, suffering from hours-long tremors in what was left of his amputated leg, prompting his mother to request he be transferred to another facility for a second opinion. This resulted in the intervention of Child Protective Services (CPS) in Chicago, which immediately seized custody of Rider, leaving no time for goodbyes.

Offended by Michelle's audacity to question the hospital's care, CPS was called without warning, seizing custody of Rider on April 15 and prohibiting any contact between the teenager and his mother. It would be 24 days before they saw each other again.

At the time, Rider says he was so drugged up that he had no idea what was going on. He was reportedly told "his excruciating pain was all in his head," according to Medical Kidnap, and that he wasn't allowed to see his mom again, or return to his girlfriend, friends or school back home.

Documents obtained by The Chicago Tribune reveal the hospital's allegations, including that the mother moved Rider from hospital to hospital, disagreed with doctors' advice and demanded powerful sedatives to his relieve pain.

Rider disputes allegations that his mother mistreated him; in fact he worships her love and care.

"She's been there since day 1, through everything, every surgery. I look up to her for that. I love her. She's the best person in my life"

Michelle, who is a veteran hospice nurse, told KMBC, "I did not want nor did I at any time request that Isaiah have heavy medications. It was quite the opposite as heavy narcotics did not appear to be helping at all."

When Rider was fit to be released, Luries hospital placed him in a foster home in a rough part of Chicago, where the teenager says he feared for his life and had a gun pulled on him twice.

Eventually Rider was transferred to foster care in Missouri, where he lived with his grandparents, however, for reasons unknown he was taken involuntarily by ambulance back to Chicago again on December 6.

A post on a Facebook page created in support of Rider and his family's ordeal, states that he's allowed no visitors, except for his grandma, and is "IN PAIN."

Updated Dec. 8, the post accuses the hospital of treating Rider like a prisoner, causing him unnecessary "emotional suffering." The update continues:

BTW State of IL you are not helping him. You are failing Isaiah Rider. You are causing him harm. He needs to get appropriate medical care and you KNOW there is a hospital that has said they can help him. Yet you take him to Chicago to make him your prisoner?

Governor calls for review of Illinois Department of Child and Family Services

There are three upcoming court dates set on Dec. 9, 11, and 15 in Chicago to settle the Rider's custody battle. A peaceful protest was held on Dec. 9 outside the Cook County Juvenile Court, allowing the public to express their support since they aren't allowed in the courtroom.

Illinois State Governor Pat Quinn ordered a top state advisory committee to address problems at the Department of Children and Family Services, responding to recently exposed "severe problems" at state-funded residential care centers for abused and neglected children.

"The recent revelations regarding some residential youth centers in Illinois are alarming and unacceptable," Quinn said. "They must be addressed immediately."

Sources:

http://medicalkidnap.com

https://www.facebook.com/TeamIsaiahRider

http://www.illinoisobserver.net

http://www.kmbc.com

http://articles.chicagotribune.com

http://healthimpactnews.com