Court orders hospital to keep Texas girl, 9, on life support

The parents of a 9-year-old North Texas girl have obtained a temporary court order blocking a hospital from disconnecting their daughter from life support.

Doctors at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth had planned to remove Payton Summons from life support at noon Monday against her parents’ wishes. However, the parents obtained a 14-day restraining order blocking the hospital from removing the child from the ventilator that keeps her breathing.

The couple’s attorney, Justin Moore, said the delay was necessary to allow them time to find another medical facility willing to keep their daughter alive. State District Judge Melody Wilkinson has scheduled a Friday morning hearing to reconsider the order after further developments, however.

Doctors say Payton is clinically brain dead, even though Moore says her heart still beats.