The Michigan Daily-Thursday, June 4,1981-Page 11
Illinois seeks custody
of Siamese
DANVILLE, Ill. (AP) - An in-
vestigator, testifying yesterday about
allegations that Siamese twins were
starved in a hospital on orders of their
father, said the children appeared
"lethargic, weak, and passive" before
they were taken into state custody.
Patricia Ferris of the Illinois Depar-
tment of Children and Family Services
testified yesterday at a Vermilion
County Circuit Court hearing to deter-
mine whether the agency should be
given permanent custody of the twins.
The parents oppose that effort.
THE DEPARTMENT filed a petition
alleging neglect and charging that food,
water, and oxygen were withheld from
the twins at Lakeview Medical Center
in Danville.
Authorities allege that the twins'
father, a physician, ordered the
hospital to withhold food from the
children.
Ferris, who observed the boys May
13, said they had two heads but one set
of legs.
SHE IDENTIFIED the parents in
court testimony as Dr. Robert Mueller
and his wife, Pamela Schopp. Judge
twins
John Meyer had not previously
disclosed the parents' names to repor-
ters but decided yesterday the names
were a matter of public record.
Ferris said she went to the hospital to
investigate a complaint that the twins
were being denied food. She said
hospital officials at first refused to let
her see the children. She then contacted
the state's attorney's office and retur-
ned to the hospital with two police of-
ficers.
Ferris said she was allowed to read
medical charts and observe the twins
for a few minutes. "I saw their ribs
sticking out, and they were just laying
there - not moving," she testified.
ON CROSS-EXAMINATION, Ferris
testified that she had no medical
training and had not been able to talk
with the parents or the attending
physicians before the decision was
made to take custody of the infants. She
also said she did not have tests perfor-
med to determine whether the twins
would respond to sound, movement or
touch.
The twins are currently being treated
at Children's Memorial in Chicago.
Pope returns to Vatican
Pope John Paul II waves to wellwishers as he leaves Policlinico Gemelli
hospital yesterday, exactly three weeks after a would-be assassin shot him in
St. Peter's Square. John Paul will return to Gemelli Hospital, probably in a
month, for a second operation to reverse the colostomy, or intestinal bypass,
the pontiff received after he was shot May 13.
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Ann Arbor - 1981!
Greek Festival
Thursday, June 4, Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6
GREEK FOOD ENTERTAINMENT PASTRY SALE
11:00 a.m. to Midnight Live Bouzouki Band 11:00 a.m. to Midnight
8:00 p.m. to Midnight Daily
Taverna Admission Charge Grecian Boutique
Daily Prizes after 5:00 p.m. Car Award
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
414 N. Main street
Ann Arnor
a n0a Ceto the-Music 0f "D no 6& the Continentals"
..
Bivouac goes on vacation..
Men's Shirts by Merona,
Woolrich, & Boston Trader
Acros frommon. sat. 10:00-5:30
Nickels Arcade ri. tioo-e:8 -