Thursday, July 03, 2008

Mom Accused of Withholding Son's Chemo

Left: Eric Fraser(left) kisses his eight-year-old son Jeremy Fraser, outside of the Artie's Right: Prosecutos have charged his ex-wife Kristen Anne LaBrie (right) with failing to get follow up cancer treatment for Jeremy. She was charged in Salem District Court of reckless child endangerment (Boston Globe,Essdras M Suarez/Landov; Salem Police Dept./AP Photo)


Mom Accused of Withholding Son's Chemo
Police Charge Mother Failed to Follow Up With Outpatient Chemo Treatments

By ANNE-MARIE DORNINGJuly 2, 2008


It seems unimaginable. An 8-year-old autistic boy is diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is treated, goes into remission and is given an 85 percent to 90 percent chance of survival. But his mom must continue a "five-phase" regimen of chemotherapy at home.

Left: Eric Fraser(left) kisses his eight-year-old son Jeremy Fraser, outside of the Artie's Right:...
Left: Eric Fraser(left) kisses his eight-year-old son Jeremy Fraser, outside of the Artie's Right: Prosecutos have charged his ex-wife Kristen Anne LaBrie (right) with failing to get follow up cancer treatment for Jeremy. She was charged in Salem District Court of reckless child endangerment (Boston Globe,Essdras M Suarez/Landov; Salem Police Dept./AP Photo)
His mom was supposed to pick up medications, administer them and bring her son back to the hospital for follow-up treatments.
It might seem hard to believe, but in court papers filed in Salem District Court prosecutors charge that's what Kristen Labrie of Salem, Mass., failed to do for her son, Jeremy Fraser.
According to court documents, the boy's cancer has returned, and doctors said his chances of survival are now more like 10 percent. Jeremy's dad, Eric Fraser, told reporters Monday that Jeremy might not make it to his ninth birthday, just weeks away.
Labrie, 36, was arraigned on child endangerment charges Monday, pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance after being ordered to have no contact with her son until further notice. The Salem News reported Labrie responded by saying "That's OK, his dad doesn't let me see him anyway."