Doctors get medical custody after parents refuse surgery

VIDEO - The parents went to court on Thursday and tried to halt their son's surgery and treatment until they could hire a lawyer and get a second opinion...

From: NBC Philadelphia

The parents of an injured high school wrestler are in a battle with the very hospital that is treating their son.

During a wrestling scrimmage at Chichester High School on Tuesday, Mazeratti Mitchell, 16, flipped over and hit his head. Mitchell said he could not move his body or feel anything.

After Mazeratti was taken to Jefferson Hospital, his parents, Jack and Vernell Mitchell, denied the steroids and surgery that the doctors recommended.

WATCH MAZERATTI’S STORY HERE
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“We do alternatives to traditional medicine,” said Vernell. “Herbs, reflexology and spine manipulation.”

The Delaware County’s Child and Family Services then sent a letter to the parents, stating that they were going to take control of Mazeratti’s medical care.

“It’s worded in there that we’re unfit parents,” said Vernell. “Anyone that knows us knows that we’re good parents.

The parents went to court on Thursday and tried to halt their son’s surgery and treatment until they could hire a lawyer and get a second opinion.They also claim that Mazeratti has gotten his feeling and movement back and is getting stronger.

The doctors reportedly stated that “surgery can wait until Monday,” but that Mazeratti “needs to be fixed.”

The Delaware County’s Child and Family Services agreed with the court’s ruling. They also claim that Mazeratti has an advocate that will look out for his best interests.The hearing has been pushed to Monday at 11 a.m. which gives the family time to hire an attorney to get the medical records that they say they need to prove their case.

The family’s ultimate goal is to have their son discharged from the hospital.

“We do not agree with the methods that the surgeon is trying to take,” said Vernell.

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