Lawyer: Brain-Dead Pregnant Woman Case ‘Sad’

Doctors removed a brain-dead Texas woman from life support, Sunday, in a case that has drawn national attention.

Marlise Munoz, 33, was believed to be about 23 weeks pregnant in November when she collapsed in her kitchen from a suspected blood clot.

Although doctors at John Peter Smith Hospital in Forth Worth declared her brain-dead, they opted to keep her on life-support until the viability of the fetus could be determined.
    
Munoz's family, however, argued that keeping her alive was against her wishes.
    
Finally, on Friday, a judge told the hospital to end the life-sustaining treatment.

Her death closes out a wrenching episode that pitted her bereaved husband against hospital officials.

"This was a sad situation all around," Heather King, a lawyer for the Munoz family, said. "We are relieved that Erick Munoz can now move forward with the process of burying his wife."

Pro-life supporters, who protested outside the hospital, said an injustice has been done because the life of an unborn baby should have taken first priority over all other considerations.

"I know these are hard difficult circumstances," pro-life advocate Carol Novielli said. "But you don't allow death because a child is deformed and ignore the fact there is another life involved."