Could this happen here?

[Lesley]

Doctors allowed a young woman, Kerrie Wooltorton, to kill herself because she had signed a “living will” that meant they could have been prosecuted if they intervened to save her life.

Miss Wooltorton, 26, who was suffering depression over her inability to have a child, drank poison at home and called an ambulance. However, she remained conscious and handed doctors a letter saying she wanted medical staff only to make her comfortable and not to try to save her life.

Doctors said her wishes were “abundantly clear” and although it was a “horrible thing” there had been no alternative but to let her die.

They feared they would be charged with assault if they treated her because they believed she understood what she was doing and was mentally capable of refusing treatment.

It is thought to be the first time someone has used a living will to commit suicide. The documents are more commonly associated with patients who are terminally ill and want to refuse treatment.
.....
The letter said that if she called for an ambulance it was not a plea for treatment, but because she did not want to die alone and in pain.

Suicide woman allowed to die because doctors feared saving her would be assault - Telegraph

conundrum indeed.

[BC-Lulu_4]

I doubt that document would have held up in court cause the woman was obviously mentally ill. I wish the doctors would have helped her instead of watching her die.

[robine]

She called an ambulance after she drank poison.. she did not want to die..

I find this story hard to believe

Did DOCTORS watch her die or did the EMS???

[MamaBear]

Weird and sad.

[rae]

Sounds like she was mentally ill.

It really reminds me of a book I once read. Ever read John Grisham's The Testament? He gave the 'sound mind' used in a will a whole new morbid twist.

The grumpy old wheelchair-bound billionaire calls the family all together to witness the signing of his will. All the ex-wives believe they will each be getting $50 million, and the lazy kids are all going to each get $300-500 million each, so everybody is making nice and happy for once. The doctors are all there to certify that yes, indeedy, he's got a sound mind. It's all being recorded so that they make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. Then he signs the will, and the family and docs clear out, leaving him alone with his attorneys. That's when he pulls out a new hand-written will, he revokes all other wills, he signs the new will, and takes a dive out the window of the tall offce building.

[BC-Lulu_4]

Originally Posted by rae

Sounds like she was mentally ill.

It really reminds me of a book I once read. Ever read John Grisham's The Testament? He gave the 'sound mind' used in a will a whole new morbid twist.

The grumpy old wheelchair-bound billionaire calls the family all together to witness the signing of his will. All the ex-wives believe they will each be getting $50 million, and the lazy kids are all going to each get $300-500 million each, so everybody is making nice and happy for once. The doctors are all there to certify that yes, indeedy, he's got a sound mind. It's all being recorded so that they make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. Then he signs the will, and the family and docs clear out, leaving him alone with his attorneys. That's when he pulls out a new hand-written will, he revokes all other wills, he signs the new will, and takes a dive out the window of the tall offce building.

That was an awesome book!