Late last year we shared the story of a family whose 15-year-old daughter, Justina Pelletier, was essentially kidnapped by the State of Massachusetts and Boston Hospital, because a couple of doctors didn’t agree with the girl’s medical treatment. Now her father, Lou Pelletier, faces jail time for sharing her story with the media.

The family, who has been fighting to get their daughter back for over a year, went to the media last week begging for someone to help them – unfortunately a Massachusetts judge placed a gag order on the family and is now threatening the father with contempt charges.

Kidnapped by Boston Hospital and the State of Massachusetts

The story started over a year ago when the Pelletier family took their daughter, who was suffering from the flu, to the hospital for treatment. Their daughter was previously diagnosed with mitochondrial disease; so the parents were especially concerned because people with the disease are affected by illnesses, like the flu, in a more pronounced way.

After being admitted to Boston Children’s Hospital, doctors immediately started to change the girls’ treatment, claiming she was suffering from somatoform disorder, a psychological disorder that said the symptoms she experienced were all in her head. When the Pelletiers tried to have their daughter transferred from Boston Children’s Hospital to Tufts Medical Center, the hospital that diagnosed and was treating her for mitochondrial disease, Boston Hospital accused the family of medical abuse and took custody of the girl.

Since then the family has had very little contact with their daughter, and they say the girl is now dying because of the treatment she’s receiving at Boston Hospital. Keep in mind, this girl was medically diagnosed with the condition by another hospital; this wasn’t the parents making up a disease, this was a girl with a verified disease who was under another doctor’s care.

The father is currently defying the gag order, and in all likelihood will soon be thrown in jail – all because he’s trying to save his daughter. Welcome to the new America!



