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21 février, 2007 17:41
Court hearing into B.C. sextuplet case postponed
Last Updated: Thursday, February 22, 2007 | 12:05 AM ET
The Canadian Press
The next round in the battle over the future of four surviving sextuplets born in Vancouver has been postponed.
Their parents were to appear in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday to appeal the government's decision to seize the children and give them potentially life-saving blood transfusions.
The parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and their beliefs do not permit the medical procedure.
The family's lawyer said Wednesday the government asked for an adjournment of proceedings and the family agreed. The case has been put over until at least April.
The provincial Ministry of Children and Families said they asked for an adjournment because of the significant amount of information that had been put forward in the case.
The babies were born in the first week of January, almost three months premature, and two died within weeks.
Three of the four surviving babies were seized by the ministry after the parents refused to allow blood transfusions.
Court precedent dictates the parents be given a chance to appeal that decision, their lawyer said, but the children were taken before that took place.
Surprise move
In a surprise move, the government handed control over the children's medical future back to the parents when their lawyer showed up at court to argue the decision.
But the parents have chosen to continue their appeal.
The identity of the family is protected by a publication ban, and the family has not spoken publicly about the children.
When asked Wednesday about the children's condition, the family's lawyer said they are "progressing."
