Jahi McMath placed in mother’s custody to be transferred out of Children’s Hospital Oakland

It has been almost a month since 13-year-old Oakland teen, Jahi McMath, was declared brain-dead by doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. The teen’s family has since been fighting to keep her on life support, despite doctors and judges strong beliefs that she should be taken off.

Having originally been given until December 30 to submit an appeal to keep McMath on life support, a county judge granted the family an extension after a request from the family’s attorney. The court order to keep McMath on life support was ultimately extended until 5 P.M. on January 7.

As of last night, Dr. David Durand, chief of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital, released a statement confirming that the teen had been released to her mother, Nailah Winkfield, in correspondence with the court order.

According to Fox News, McMath was initially released to the Alameda County Coroner before being placed in her mother’s custody at approximately 8 P.M. EST Sunday.

Christopher Dolan, attorney for the McMath family, gave a statement to the Associated Press revealing that McMath had departed the hospital in a personal ambulance, and though she was attached to her ventilator, she did not, however, have a feeding tube.

With the family’s plans to transfer McMath to a 24-hour care clinic in New York, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo stated that in accordance with Children’s Hospital Oakland, the teen could be transferred to another facility and her mother will be the one held accountable should McMath go into cardiac arrest.

A death certificate was issued out on Friday, but because there has been no cause of death, the document is currently incomplete.

“They may have issued one, but we don’t have it. We don’t think she’s dead,” said Dolan.

Although it has not yet been specified which facility McMath will be taken to, Dolan noted that she will be cared for, respected and loved, and that she will be receiving a feeding tube before officially being transferred.

McMath’s uncle, Omari Sealey, sent out a Facebook update thanking those who have supported their family during this trying time.

“Thank you to everyone who prayed for us & stood in our corner, we love you all!!!”

– Antionette Latrese (@_ALatrese)