Justina Pelletier Finally Allowed to Come Home Following Her Parents' 16-Month Battle with Hospital and Courts to Regain Custody

Aimee Herd : Jun 18, 2014
Liz Klimas – The Blaze

"I'm just so happy to be home. Thank you [to] everyone for letting me go home. I'm so excited. I can't believe it's happened."

(Massachusetts)—Today is a day of sweet reunion for the Pelletier family, as a juvenile court judge ruled, Tuesday, that Connecticut teen Justina Pelletier would finally be allowed to return to her family. (Photo via The Blaze)

According to The Blaze report, Judge Joseph Johnston wrote in his ruling; "I find that the parties have shown by credible evidence that circumstances have changed since the adjudication on Dec. 20, 2013, that Justina is a child in need of care and protection pursuant to G.L. c. 199, 24-26. Effective Wednesday, June 18, 2014, this care and protection petition is dismissed and custody of Justina is returned to her parents, Lou and Linda Pelletier."

The Liberty Counsel had worked on behalf of the Pelletier family to see Justina brought home.

"We are thrilled that Justina will finally be returning home," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "The family looks forward to putting this 16-month nightmare behind them. Justina and her family now begin the process of healing both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Justina had been previously diagnosed of a rare mitochondrial disease by Tufts Medical Center in Boston; the same genetic disorder her older sister, Jessica suffers from.

Both Justina and Jessica had been receiving treatment at Tufts, and it seemed to be successful, as they were able to resume normal activities. (Photo via The Blaze)

February of 2013, Justina contracted the flu, which was made much more severe by the mitochondrial disease, and she was taken by ambulance to Boston Children's Hospital.

However, instead of being treated for the flu, a psychologist insisted her illness was a mental condition, and the hospital took custody of the girl, barring Justina's parents from taking her home.

Read more in a previous BCN report.

Matt Staver of the Liberty Counsel noted that Justina was "beside herself with excitement" when she heard she could go home.

"I'm just so happy to be home. Thank you [to] everyone for letting me go home," Justina said in a video posted on her Facebook page. "I'm so excited. I can't believe it's happened."