Mother of Deformed Son: "I Would Have Aborted Him"

Posted by Brian
How much is your child worth? To the parents of Bryan Santana - $9 million dollars.  Although awarded half of that by a Palm Beach, Florida jury, the parents were "happy" with the outcome. 
During the trial, the mother, Ana Santana told the jury, "Definitely I would have had an abortion". While I can certainly sympathize with the shock she obviously felt when her son was born, I have to wonder of the trauma and mental anguish her child will feel when he eventually discovers that his parents felt that his life was not worth living and that he was better off being aborted.
Also, what is going to be the effect on the medical community for not detecting abnormalities in the womb, or of making a mistake in the gender of the child?  Is this setting precedent for even more lawsuits? How far are we willing to go in holding doctor, nurses, and medical technicians responsible for every detail of every medical case.
Gallup has a poll that shows that 90% of babies with disabilities are aborted, even if the disabilities are fairly minor.  Apparently, only babies who are defect-free, or "perfect", are worth saving. While there are certainly positive aspects of ultra-sounds and amniocentesis, one cannot help but notice that these procedures are being used to perpetrate a less-than-subtle form of euthanasia.

Again, what constitutes a life worth living? How far down that slippery slope are we, as a society, willing to go?



Jury awards Palm Beach County parents $4.5 million after child born with no arms, one leg

Posted: 09/09/2011
Jane Musgrave Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Ana Santana testifying to jury (Photo Credit: Richard Graulich/Palm Beach Post)

After nearly nine hours of deliberation over two days, a Palm Beach County jury today awarded a West Palm Beach couple $4.5 million to care for their son who was born with no arms and one leg.

With the heartbreaking image of the small boy etched into their minds, jurors found Palm Beach Gardens obstetrician Dr. Marie Morel, OB/GYN Specialists of the Palm Beaches and Perinatal Specialists of the Palm Beaches responsible for not detecting the boy's horrific disabilities before he was born. The amount they awarded is half of the $9 million Ana Mejia and Rodolfo Santana were seeking for their son, Bryan.
Read more at The Palm Beach Post