Dead Bodies Occupy Hospital Beds While Seriously Ill Children Wait

Last week, the parents of Nick Torres obtained a TRO against Texas Children's Hospital. That TRO prohibits the hospital from withdrawing organ-sustaining treatment even though clinicians already determined Nick dead. But that TRO expires at noon Monday. The trial court refused to extend the TRO.

Nick's parents are appealing and seek extension of the TRO while they perfect the appeal. The hospital opposes the extension in part because "there are living children who are on a waitlist for the bed in TCH’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit that is currently occupied by N.T. – whom the undisputed evidence conclusively establishes has been deceased for at least eight days." The hospital also notes that "N.T.’s body is already showing signs of postmortem deterioration."