MINNEAPOLIS — A Texas mother and father are fighting to regain parenting rights of their 5-year-old son after their refusal to continue his chemotherapy prompted Minnesota child welfare authorities to take custody.
Keaton Peck suffered stroke-like symptoms and was in critical condition in mid-December when Children's Minnesota diagnosed him with an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer and prescribed a month of chemotherapy in the hospital.
The dispute arose a month later when the boy's health improved and doctors prescribed a two-year course of lower-dose chemo to keep the cancer at bay. The parents objected because of the side effects from the harsh treatment, and Children's alerted child protection authorities who then took temporary custody and medical decisionmaking authority over the boy.
