Arrest ordered for mom of boy, 13, resisting chemo
 

NEW ULM, Minn. – Authorities nationwide are on the lookout Wednesday for a mother and her 13-year-old cancer-stricken son who fled after refusing the chemotherapy that doctors say could save the boy's life.

Colleen Hauser and her son, Daniel, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma, apparently left their southern Minnesota home sometime after a doctor's appointment and court-ordered X-ray on Monday showed his tumor had grown.

Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg, who had ruled last week that Daniel's parents were medically neglecting him, issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for Colleen Hauser and ruled her in contempt of court. Rodenberg also ordered that Daniel be placed in foster care and immediately evaluated by a cancer specialist for treatment.

The boy's father, Anthony Hauser, testified he didn't know where his wife and son were but had made no attempt to find them. He testified he last saw his son Monday morning, and he saw his wife only briefly that evening when she said she was leaving "for a time."

As of Wednesday morning, the mother and son still had not been found, said Carl Rolloff, a sheriff's dispatcher.

Officials distributed the arrest warrant nationwide. Brown County Sheriff Rich Hoffman said Tuesday that investigators were following some leads locally, but declined to elaborate.

"It's absolutely crazy. It's very disappointing," James Olson, the attorney representing Brown County Family Services. "We're trying to do what's right for this young man."

There was no immediate response to a message seeking comment that was left at the Hauser house in Sleepy Eye early Wednesday.

Daniel's Hodgkin's lymphoma is considered highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but the boy quit chemo after a single treatment. With his parents, he opted instead for "alternative medicines," citing religious beliefs. That led authorities to seek custody. Rodenberg last week ruled that Daniel's parents were medically neglecting their son.

The judge has said Daniel, who has a learning disability and cannot read, did not understand the risks and benefits of chemotherapy and didn't believe he was ill.

The Hausers are Roman Catholic and also believe in the "do no harm" philosophy of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods advocated by some American Indians.


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Thank God that this country doesn't allow parents to decide not to treat their children because of their crazy religious beliefs. They can make their own medical decisions but don't let them inflict it on their kids.

To think of all the people who would want to be in this boy's place...a cancer that can be cured and his mom is acting like this.

did anyone else hear that during his homeschooling, he was never taught to read

I heard that this morning on some news/talk show and I was just astounded.

Seriously, I think this woman suffers from Munchausen Syndrome... She was treating him in late stage Hodgkin's with herbs... Talk about impurities! That's abuse!

I agree!

I thought he couldnt read because he has a learning disability that prevents him from doing so?

Word, mamma.

My only concern is that HE doesn't want the treatment either. I mean it is not farfetched to have people decide they don't want to take chemo. Some people tend to feel that because the chemo makes them feel worse, they would just rather forego it. It would be different if the child himself wanted it but the mom was refusing to let him have it. And I don't think that he feels that way just because of his mom's beliefs.

He's 13. A 13-year-old simply isn't in a position to understand the implications of refusing chemotherapy or of choosing alternative treatments instead.

Depraved heart murder.

. . . back to Bar prep.

I disagree. A thirteen year old child is capable of udnerstanding what may appen if they don't take chemo. Children these days are far more precocious and have a better uderstanding than people might realize. Also, he is old enough to know if he doesn't like how the chemo makes him feel. I think that's my issue. I don't like to see children being forced to do something as serious as chemo if they REALLY don't want to do it. Lots of people try alternative routes because chemo makes them so miserable.
Interesting though how authorities are quick to jump on this, but there are other bad parental situations out there and they refuse to get involved. smh

Agreed. In general I have an issue with the state imposing medical treatment, but in this situation, with someone this young, I have problems holding that position.

I think that's my issue.

I felt differently about the parents who were withholding care for their child who was in a diabetic coma.

I think that instead of them forcing this child to take treatment, they should really just counsel him (away from his mother) and ascertain what HE really wants and WHY.

I think part of the issue with this story (and with any news story regarding medical issues) is that we're not getting the whole story. It's a fair point, in that you would hope and assume that the doctors have explained everything fully to both the teenager and his parents. Because of medical privacy issues, we'll likely never know the level of advice given by the physicians to the kid and his mother.

I think one of the issues about counseling him away from his mother is that most, if not all, medical offices are going to want to have the parent present when talking about these issues. I would guess that it's difficult for a doctor or medical professional to ask a parent to leave the room when discussing medical treatments with a teenager.

Plus, if she's gone to these lengths to avoid treatment for her child, I'm guessing she would never agree to letting the treatment staff speak with him outside of her presence.