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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 24 June 2022
Michigan to destroy some blood spots in fight over consent

By ED WHITE pital. “I don’t like not know-
Associated Press ing where or what they’re
DETROIT (AP) — The state using it for,” said Kanusze-
of Michigan has agreed wski, one of four parents
to destroy more than 3 mil- who sued in 2018.
lion dried blood spots tak- In May, after four years of lit-
en from babies and kept igation, the health depart-
in storage, a partial settle- ment said it would destroy
ment in an ongoing lawsuit certain blood spots stored
over consent and privacy in Lansing over the next 18
in the digital age. months and stop adding to
At the state’s direction, that inventory, according
hospitals have routinely to an agreement filed in
pricked the heels of new- federal court in Bay City.
borns to draw blood to Those spots number 3.4 mil-
check for more than 50 rare lion, spokeswoman Lynn
diseases. That practice, Sutfin said.
which is widespread across Sutfin declined to explain
the U.S., isn’t being chal- why the state agreed to
lenged. Rather, the dispute get rid of them, citing the
is over leftover samples. ongoing litigation. But in
A blood spot from each 2021, U.S. District Judge
child is stored in Lansing Thomas Ludington said
while five more are sent the state had no specific
to the Michigan Neonatal permission from parents
Biobank in Detroit for safe- to keep a single leftover
keeping under climate- This July 2022 photo shows a lab in Lansing, Mich., where the state health department tests blood blood spot in Lansing.
from newborns for more than 50 rare diseases.
controlled conditions. Associated Press The state has described
Scientists can pay a fee them as spots that could be
to use the Detroit-stored have permission from par- chure are vague, making anything. My wife had a C- used by parents in case fu-
samples for various re- ents to use spots for re- no reference, for example, section. She was still groggy ture health questions arise.
search projects. Research search. But attorney Philip to the state collecting fees 12 hours later from all the The agreement to destroy
with newborn blood spots Ellison argues that the pro- for blood spots used by sci- drugs pumped into her those spots doesn’t end the
occurs in other states, too, gram still violates constitu- entists. “If moms and dads from giving birth.” case. Still in play: Millions
especially California, New tional protections against say, ‘Use them. I don’t care’ Ashley Kanuszewski ac- that are under the state’s
York and Minnesota where searches and seizures and — that’s their business,” he knowledged that she control at Wayne State Uni-
they can be kept for de- might not be fully under- told The Associated Press. signed forms allowing versity in Detroit and avail-
cades. stood by parents who are “But the state is not giving blood spots from two ba- able for research, including
Texas in 2009 agreed to de- presented with forms amid them enough information bies to be added to the many that precede May
stroy millions of spots to set- the fog of childbirth. to make an informed deci- research bank but doesn’t 2010 when the health de-
tle a lawsuit over privacy. Ellison claims the consent sion. ... Most people have recall receiving an informa- partment began asking for
Since 2010, Michigan must form and a related bro- no recollection of signing tional brochure at the hos- parental consent.q

Woman committed over Slender Man

stabbing seeks her release

did last year for her co-de- girls were 12 at the time. Geyser pleaded guilty to
fendant, Anissa Weier, who Geyser and Weier left attempted first-degree in-
spent nearly four years at a Leutner for dead, but she tentional homicide in a
mental health facility in Os- managed to crawl out of deal with prosecutors and
hkosh. the woods in the park and a judge sent her to the
During a hearing Thurs- was discovered by a pass- Winnebago Mental Health
day, Bohren appointed ing bicyclist. Institute after determining
three doctors to evaluate She suffered 19 stab wounds she had a mental illness.
Geyser’s mental state and and barely survived, ac- Weier, 20, pleaded guilty
to submit their reports by cording to medical staff to attempted second-de-
Aug. 26. Prosecutors and who treated her. Police gree intentional homicide
Morgan Geyser speaks with attorney Anthony Cotton, Feb. 1, defense attorneys will re- found Weier and Geyser and was also sent to the
2018. Geyser, 20, is asking a judge in Waukesha County to order turn to court on Sept. 12 to later that day walking on psychiatric facility after a
her release as he did last year for her co-defendant, Anissa schedule another hearing Interstate 94 in Waukesha. jury found she was suffering
Weier. to review the reports. They said they were travel- from a mental illness at the
Associated Press According to prosecu- ing to Slender Man’s man- time of the attack.
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — The was to appease the horror tors, Geyser and Weier sion in northern Wiscon- Last September, Weier was
second of two Wisconsin character Slender Man is lured Payton Leutner to a sin and attacked Leutner granted a conditional re-
women who were sent to a petitioning for her release. Waukesha park following because they thought it lease to live with her father
state mental health facility Morgan Geyser, 20, asked a sleepover in May 2014, would make them Slender and was ordered to wear a
after a 2014 stabbing at- Waukesha County Judge and Geyser repeatedly Man’s servants and pre- GPS monitor. Some restric-
tack on a sixth-grade class- Michael Bohren on June 14 stabbed Leutner while Wei- vent him from killing their tions are likely if Bohren or-
mate that they claimed to order her release as he er urged her on. All three families. ders Geyser’s release.q