The parents of an adult anorexic woman are now allowed to force-feed her in an attempt to save her life, a New Jersey judged ruled, according to a report.
Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong granted the parents of a 20-year-old woman identified as S.A. guardianship Tuesday, after determining that she was incapacitated and incapable of making her own decisions, the Daily Record reported.
“This is a case that makes other parents hopeful,” said S.A.’s mother, who did not want to be identified, adding that the petition for guardianship was a “tool for parents to keep our kids alive.”
The young woman had dropped to 60 pounds when she was found unconscious at her home in June. She was taken to a Princeton facility where she is being fed with a tube, against her wishes.
After meeting with her doctors, Armstrong determined S.A. didn’t understand the risk her disease posed, adding that she had loving parents who want what is best for her.
Granting her parents co-guardianship allows them to make medical decisions for her.
Last November, Armstrong ruled that a 29-year-old New Jersey woman also suffering from anorexia had the right to refuse force-feedings and commit “passive suicide.” She died in February.