9-year-old will likely be taken off life support soon

FORT WORTH, Texas - It appears that a 9-year-old girl will be taken off life support at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. A judge rejected her family’s pleas.

Payton Summons suffered a heart attack last month. Initial tests showed no brain activity and now doctors are convinced that she has no hope of recovering.

Her parents got a temporary court order to keep her on life support for two weeks so they could find another medical facility to care for her. But they haven’t had much luck. More than 20 facilities declined the request and only one has not yet fully responded.

Her family returned to court Wednesday hoping for another extension. They argued that she still has a strong heartbeat and a chance at life. They asked the judge to mandate an outside second opinion.

But the judge declined, saying the family did not meet the burden of proof for injunctive relief.

The temporary order that is keeping Payton alive on life support will expire on Monday.