Mom of drowned autistic girl files lawsuit

[Guest guest]

Well, you see, while I feel for the drowned autistic girl, the woman

may be complicit in her daughter's death. Hydrotherapy for autistics

is considered quackery by board certified medical professionals and a

bit of simple net research would have shown that to her, but I guess

she, for whatever reason, chose to do what she wanted to do anyway.

I hope this woman loses. She has no one to blame but herself for

putting her daughter at risk. And the loss of the suit would re-

iterate the lengths parents go to to treat and cure people and the

risks they take in doing so.

Additionally, the best defense the people who were sued can take is

that the therapies which they propose are known to be disregarded as

quackery by medical professionals. That way THEY could be put out

business too.

I have lost count of how many parents have killed their children

through ignorance or willful intent while trying to treat them or

cure them.

Administrator

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081001/NEWS01/810010320/1026/news12

Mom of drowned autistic girl files lawsuit against Palm Springs

school district, Cerebral Palsy groups

Mariecar Mendoza • The Desert Sun • October 1, 2008

The mother of a 5-year-old autistic girl who drowned earlier this

year has filed a lawsuit against nine agencies and three people she

feels were responsible for her daughter's death.

Wereschagin's daughter, Anyah Raven Glossinger, drowned during

a hydrotherapy session in January.

In the wrongful death lawsuit filed Sept. 4, Wereschagin of Cathedral

City claims she is entitled to damages based on negligence and

negligent hiring, training and supervision by some or all of the

defendants, said her attorney, O'Callahan.

" Our interest is in reforming inadequate regulations and, in a bigger

sense, bring the care of autistic children to the forefront, "

O'Callahan said.

Wereschagin requests a jury trial and monetary compensation for

damages to be determined by the jury.

" It's unfortunate that we have to file a lawsuit to help us

understand what happened that day because what we really want is

answers, " Wereschagin said Tuesday.

Wereschagin said any monetary damages paid would go to autism

research and the advocacy of disability rights " to increase the laws

and services for children like Anyah. "

The civil suit was filed against Inland Regional Center, United

Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire, United Cerebral Palsy Dennis

Center in Cathedral City, United Cerebral Palsy Little Bridges

Program, Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation Inc., Palm Springs

Unified School District, State of California, Riverside County,

California Department of Social Services, Sixto Mitre, Elva Lerma and

na Lerma.

" We are cooperating fully, " said Jeff Snyder, president and CEO of

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire. " In the meantime, we're

still serving 300 children and youth with disabilities who count on

us for services. "

The county was served with the lawsuit Sept. 12, said county

spokeswoman Lis Mendez.

" It is under review, and we're evaluating it to decide the next

step, " Mendez said.

On Jan. 23, Anyah, who was autistic and legally blind, was one of

three children participating in the United Cerebral Palsy Little

Bridges Program.

The children were supervised by coaches Mitre, Elva Lerma and na

Lerma at a mineral pool-equipped Angel View Crippled Children's

Foundation Inc. facility in Desert Hot Springs.

Anyah was assigned to Elva Lerma and " apparently slipped out of her

floaties and sank to the bottom of the pool, " officials at the

Riverside County District Attorney's Office said.

Anyah died a day later.

na Lerma and Elva Lerma declined to discuss the case, and Mitre

could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Desert Hot Springs Police Department investigators deemed the

drowning an accident, and the county's district attorney's office did

not file criminal charges.

All three coaches involved ceased working for United Cerebral Palsy

of the Inland Empire when the California Department of Social

Services shut down the Little Bridges Program in March, Snyder said.

Mitre and Elva Lerma, who were concurrently employed in January by

United Cerebral Palsy and Palm Springs Unified School District, are

still school district paraprofessional health aides, said district

spokeswoman Joan Boiko.

Wereschagin and others have been lobbying to have Mitre and Elva

Lerma terminated from district employment.

" The district offers its deepest condolences to the involved

parties, " Boiko stated in a news release issued Monday. " However, it

has at the same time determined that these tragic events are not

related to the business of the district. "

Wereschagin's lawsuit comes after claims filed June 17 seeking $10

million from four defendants now named in the lawsuit.

Wereschagin's legal action is separate from a wrongful death suit

filed in July by Anyah's biological father, Glossinger of

Mill Valley.