9-year-old Fort Worth girl on life support dies amid legal battle
FORT WORTH, Texas - An attorney for Payton Summons’ parents confirms the 9-year-old died Friday night.
A Fort Worth appeals court on Friday denied a request by Cook Children's Hospital to revoke the extension on a life-support order for a nine-year-old girl. The ruling meant Payton could legally remain on life support until at least Monday.
However, Justin Moore, the parents’ attorney, tweeted Friday night that Payton’s heart stopped beating on its own around 8:30 p.m.
“Known by everyone as full of determination and fight, she fought until her heart gave out,” Moore said. “After scoring a big win in the appeals court today, she left us just a few hours later. She showed us how to fight against the odds.”
In a second tweet, Moore clarified that Payton’s heart stopped beating on its own, and she was never taken off life support.
Cook Children's declared Summons brain dead shortly after she arrived at the hospital in cardiac arrest three weeks ago due to complications from a tumor in her chest.
The family received two court-ordered extensions for life support while they searched for other medical options. But the family was unable to find a facility to take Summons. The hospital listed in one of its legal responses the number of facilities that have declined to accept Summons is now up to 41. The hospital says it was trying to help the family as much as possible.