Families protest outside Children's Hospital over alleged poor treatment
LOS ANGELES - A protest took place Friday outside Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Protesters chanted "justice" and "no more deaths" while holding homemade signs of loved ones they claim died following treatment at the hospital.
"I wish he had just died from cancer," said Heichers Velazquez. "Not even criminals suffer the way my brother did."
Velazquez’s brother, Snyder, was 13 years old when he died in October.
"When my brother was going into the hospital he told my dad, ‘Let’s just leave. I don’t want to take this," said Velazquez.
The family told FOX 11 that Snyder was admitted for a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia. They claim hospital staff members told them there was an 85% success rate with the procedure. However, in medical records the family has since obtained, a medica professional called the procedure "experimental" and "high-risk," something they said they weren't told.
"My parents never agreed [to] experimental treatment," said Velazquez. "My brother was not an experiment. He was not a lab rat. They lied to my parents. They told them the worst that could happen was eczema. That there was an 85% success rate. Why was my brother’s skin falling to pieces?"
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Other families who lost loved ones following various treatments said they have concerns too.
"We started with three families [protesting] and now we’re at 11," said Christine Bilderain. "Our children are already gone. We can’t bring them back."
A CHLA spokesperson provided a written statement to FOX 11 on Friday responding to the protest.
"We are aware of a protest taking place outside Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard," said a CHLA spokesperson. "Due to privacy laws, Children's Hospital Los Angeles cannot publicly discuss individual patient cases. As the leading pediatric care provider in Los Angeles, CHLA strongly adheres to compassionate, family-centered care principles and values. We work closely with families to determine the best course of care for patients. We are actively working to address the protesters’ concerns while also ensuring our staff, patients and families are in a safe, healing environment. CHLA remains committed to providing the highest quality care for children."
Velazquez said they’ve tried seeking legal representation, but because of costs, they haven’t been able to get an attorney.
"They could have just been honest," said Velazquez. "If it was our choice to go through with the treatment, it would have been our choice, and we would have been prepared for his death."