Candlelight Vigil Determined To Honor Memory Of Children Harmed By Psychiatric Abuse

Children who have lost their lives due to lack of awareness of Right to Informed Consent will be honored during the annual Gabriel Myers candlelight vigil held on April 16^th from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Memorial Causeway in Clearwater. The annual candlelight vigil is held to bring awareness of the right to informed consent. This movement was inspired by Gabriel Meyers, 7 year-old foster child who allegedly hung himself while on three powerful psychotropic medications bearing the strongest FDA warnings for potential suicide in children.  

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According to the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance (381.026  Florida Patient's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities) , every individual has the basic human right to be informed about the medical treatment or procedure that is being proposed to them, including the proposed treatment , the purpose of the treatment to be provided, the common risks,  side effects and alternative treatment modalities. More information on the Right to Informed Consent can be found here:www.cchrflorida.org/thehistoryofinformedconsent.  

The three following stories exemplify the havoc that was wreaked on young lives from psychotropic medication and the lack of awareness of Right of Informed Consent. All children will be honored at the vigil:

• Gabriel Myers –  The seven-year-old foster child allegedly hung himself while on a combination of Lexapro, Zyprexa and Symbyax, none of which are approved for use in children, all three of which raise the risk of suicidal tendencies in children. As stated in the Miami Herald, “Of course, safeguards supposedly protected foster kids. Florida requires so-called ”informed consent” before some doctor pumps a kid up with psychotropic. What Gabriel got, instead of real help, were powerful adult drugs laden with dangerous side effects. His cause of death was listed as suicide. It was just another misdiagnosis.”

• Emilio Villamar – Emilio was a swimmer and a water polo player. In 2002, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Within the course of a year, the sixteen-year-old was given sixteen different psychiatric drugs. He died of a sudden heart attack. During the time of the death, he was being administered six different psychiatric medications. Some of those medications had not been approved from the treatment of children.
  

• Denis Maltez – The 67 pound disabled twelve-year-old was lethally medicated while on a combination of psychiatric medication at the now closed Rainbow Ranch group home in Miami. As stated in the Miami Herald, “The child’s medical records indicate he had been addled with maximum adult dosages of Zyprexa and Seroquel. ‘Adult dosages’ should have been an irrelevant term. Neither antipsychotic was approved for children…. But physical abuse, a paucity of food or staff neglect didn’t kill Denis. The medical examiner’s findings indicated the kid likely died from the effects of psychotropic drugs

Attorney and author John Whitehead will address the public about the right to Informed Consent during the annual statewide Gabriel Meyers candlelight vigil on April 16^th from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Memorial Causeway in Clearwater. Whitehead has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law and human rights. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s most vocal and involved civil liberties attorneys, Whitehead’s approach to civil liberties issues has earned him numerous accolades and accomplishments.

Other statewide locations the vigil will be held at include:

• Ocala – Human rights advocates Lina Oliver and Yvette Fermaine will host the candlelight vigil from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Children’s Memorial at Jervey Gantt Park, Lake Wales.

• Lake Wales – Pastor Donaldson will host the vigil at the lake at the Kiwanis Park, 315 N. Martin Luther King, Blvd, Lake Wales from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For more information on the right to informed consent, the Gabriel Meyers vigil, or to schedule an interview with John Whitehead, please contact Laurie Anspach at (727)-442-8820 or laurie@cchrflorida.org. 

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