Liberty Counsel Obtains Emergency Order for Food and Water to Elderly Patient

On May 22 a judge in Brevard County, Florida, issued an emergency injunction ordering a hospital to provide food and water to an eighty-three-year-old woman. Carrie Johnson recently suffered several strokes and was hospitalized. Against the objections of her son and granddaughter, the hospital stopped giving her food and water. Johnson did not execute a Durable Power of Attorney or any directive prior to her hospitalization. Throughout her life, Johnson told her son and granddaughter that she wanted to be kept alive with basic medical intervention and treatment, including artificially provided food and water, if she became unable to care for herself.

On May 18, the hospital terminated food and water to Johnson. She is beginning to show signs of severe dehydration, including severely cracked lips and discoloration. She is in pain. After the hearing, the Judge called the Hospital to advise that the order to reestablish food and water was on its way and the hospital should obey it. The administrator on duty said it would be "passed up to someone higher." When the attorney hand delivered the emergency order to the hospital this afternoon, the hospital authorities escorted him off the property. It is still not clear whether the hospital has obeyed the order. Liberty Counsel