Arlington, Va.
A 26-year-old pregnant woman who has been brain-dead for weeks is being kept alive in a Virginia hospital so her 5-month-old fetus can grow strong enough to survive. The woman, Susan Torres, appeared healthy in February when she learned she was pregnant, but she stopped breathing on May 7. After she was resuscitated, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in her neck that had put pressure on her brain. A CT scan indicated that her brain had stopped working. Torres’ husband, Jason, said he knew his wife was gone, “barring divine intervention,” but that the baby might stand a chance if his wife’s body could be kept functioning five more weeks with a ventilator and feeding tube. “It’s a race against time,” Torres said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.