Photo: UPDATE: Father Says Young Leukemia Patient Taken from Hospital is in Mexico
Last week a young girl went missing after her mother was captured on security cameras taking the girl out of the hospital. Wednesday, the girl’s father is saying she is in Mexico.
Identified only as Emily, the 11-year-old was reportedly removed from the hospital where she had undergone leukemia treatment. Though she was scheduled to be released the next day, hospital footage shows Emily’s mother, a 35-year-old only identified as Norma, waking the girl out of Phoenix Children’s Hospital on November 28 after having her change her clothes in the bathroom.
The greatest concern was with the chest catheter in Emily’s heart, which was placed there during treatment. The mother removed the IV from the catheter when she took her daughter from the hospital, and doctors who spoke with police informed them that should the catheter not be medically removed from her heart, it could become infected and Emily could die.
Wednesday, Emily’s 46-year-old father, Luis Bracamontes, spoke with NBC News and said his daughter is being treated by doctors at an undisclosed location in Mexico.
Phoenix police have not yet filed criminal charges against the girl’s family, but an investigation is ongoing and authorities are still attempting to verify Bracamontes story.
Asked why the girl was taken out of the hospital, Bracamontes said the family was being pressured about their escalating medical bills and were unsure about the care Emily was getting. Due to an infection while at the Phoenix hospital, Emily had to have her arm removed as well.
