Dad wants baby left on life support, so he doesn't get charged with homicide (Akron, Ohio)

May we ever so humbly suggest that dad JOHN JONES may not have the best interests of this child at heart? Given that Daddy Dearest is accused of violently shaking his 6-month daughter and breaking her arms and legs--and that she is given little chance of survival if taken off life support--Daddy could be facing a homicide charge if she's removed. So OF COURSE Daddy and his attorneys want to keep the baby alive AT ALL COST. A widdle bit of a conflict of interest here?

The mother wants nature to take its course and stop the torture of this child. This poor baby can't even open her eyes anymore--and that's after more than a month of living on machines. But of course Daddy, even though he is charged with felonious assault and was never married to the mother, has as much say in the matter as the mom. Even though this sh** has also caused the mother to lose "temporary" custody of her other children because of HIS actions. Disgusting.

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-akron-ohio-court-baby-on-life-support,0,4704136.story

Parents Disagree About Keeping Baby on Life Support
Dave Nethers Fox 8 News Reporter
12:30 PM EDT, April 13, 2010

AKRON, Ohio - At stake are potentially two lives. The fate of 6-month-old Jada Ruiz, on life support at Akron Children's Hospital for more than a month, and that of her biological father, 17-year-old John Jones.

Jada has been given little hope of survival off of life support, suffering from brain injuries experts say are consistent with shaken baby syndrome, and broken bones in her arms and legs.

Jones, who is accused of causing the injuries, faces a potential homicide charge as an adult if Jada dies.

In court on Tuesday, attorneys for Jones are arguing to keep the infant alive at all cost. Attorneys for the baby's mother, 18-year-old Deja Ruiz, are trying to convince the court that it is in the baby's best interest to discontinue life support and let nature take its course.

Both parents arrived in the courtroom of Judge Bill Spicer, sitting at a table across from each other. Deja kept her head down trying not to look at Jones.

Pamella Hawkins, representing Jones, told the judge they do not support removal of Jada from life support. Attorneys for the mother say they support the removal of life support. A representative of the Summit County Prosecutor's Office told the court they could not take a position, as did a representative of Children Services.

Hawkins argues Summit County Juvenile Court, and not Judge Spicer, has exclusive jurisdiction in this case because Jones is currently charged as a juvenile. Judge Spicer says the juvenile court has told him they do not have jurisdiction. Despite her client being charged with felonious assault and felony child endangering, Hawkins said how the injuries occurred remains under investigation.

Children Services has filed for temporary custody of Jada and the couple's two other children. Hawkins told the jury that means it could be as long as two years before the process can return custody to either of the parents.

She said there is nothing in the juvenile court's language that speaks to the issue of the removal of life support.

Hawkins referred to the Aiden Stein case as a benchmark for such cases. However, because the father in this case is a juvenile, she said there are differences. Attorneys for the mother argued that because the child has not yet been legally determined to be an abused or neglected child, the juvenile court does not have jurisdiction.

Another major difference in this and the Stein case is that in the Stein case there were two parents who agreed. In this case, the parents disagree. Jones and Ruiz are also not married.

Attorneys for the mother say although the case deals with the decision to ultimately remove the child from life support, "the crux of the case is the health care of this child." Children services, she argued, is authorized and, in fact, mandated to provide health care for the child.

Jones' mother stood to tell the court she supports the decision to keep Jada on life support.

Nancy Flower, the attorney appointed by the juvenile court to represent Jada, also stood to tell the court that she had no position regarding the jurisdiction of the case.

A relative of Deja told the court she believes the doctors, and not the court, should make the decision.

Jada's great-grandmother told the court, "We can love her to the day she expires, but why should we take her through all of this pain? The baby is in God's hands. I just dont like seeing her like that.

"We can do this, but I can't see her laying up there all this time not able to even open her eyes."

Deja's mother addressed the court in tears saying, "I hate to see my baby suffer like that. The only thing I have left of Jada is her smile. She was the happiest baby I have ever seen, and I don't want to see her suffer like that. I'm hurt, and I just hope the judge makes the best decision for my baby."

Judge Spicer said he would take the matter into advisement.