Georgia family loses custody of son after giving him marijuana to treat seizures

[Suzanimal]

TWIGGS COUNTY, Ga. — Last month, Georgia Division of Family and Children Services took custody of Suzeanna and Matthew Brill's son after Twiggs County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested them for giving him marijuana.

It's a charge they don't deny.

"We openly admitted to them in front of Twiggs County sheriff's deputies," said Matthew Brill.

Their son, whom 13WMAZ did not identify because he is a minor and the sensitive nature of this case, was taken from the Brills' custody.

According to a Twiggs County Sheriff's Office report, they're now charged with reckless conduct.

However, they say they're not bad parents – they were doing what they had to to stop their son's frequent seizures.

The Brills say their son suffered from several seizures every day, "seven days a week, 24 hours a day."

After trying several prescription drugs and even cannabis oil with no results, they turned to marijuana.

"I smoke it first," said stepfather Matthew Brill. "I know where it comes from, I know my people. Made sure the bag was good, packed the bowl in my bowl, which I know ain't been anywhere else, and I set it on the table and told him that it was his decision. I did not tell him he had to or not."

The Brills say their son began smoking several times a day and when he did, it kicked off a 71-day stretch without a single seizure.

Even though they're facing a reckless conduct charge, the parents say they'd do it again to protect their child.

"Nothing else was working," said Suzeanna Brill. "I can't have my kid dying because no one wants to listen."

https://www.11alive.com/article/news...source=twitter

[Danke]

People in Georgia are kinda backwards.

[Swordsmyth]

Why did they admit to doing it?

People in Georgia are kinda backwards.

[TheTexan]

They gave their son marijuana?!??

It's a miracle he's even still alive.

[dannno]

The Brills say their son suffered from several seizures every day, "seven days a week, 24 hours a day."


The Brills say their son began smoking several times a day and when he did, it kicked off a 71-day stretch without a single seizure.

Amazing!!

I'll bet zippy doesn't believe it.

[IBleedNavyAndOrange]

Stupid "news" channel never says how many cracks the kid has smoked or how many people he's killed.

[Bern]

Stupid "news" channel never says how many cracks the kid has smoked or how many people he's killed.

They are all good kids.

But seriously, it is known in the epilepsy world that smoking marijuana (as opposed to just taking CBD oil) does sometimes control seizures better than available prescription meds. Epilepsy is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of seizure disorders and there is a wide variance on what works and doesn't work for individuals. Roughly 30% of epilepsy patients cannot control their seizures with prescription meds. If the kid was seeing a neuro and had exhausted trials of available meds, then I understand the what the parents were facing.

[FunkBuddha]

Damn. That's rough. I'd do the same for my kids. Well, minus the telling anyone part but still.

According to the page the kid was having a seizure in front of the mother while she was forced to sign the paperwork handing him over. He flat-lined 15 times.

https://www.gofundme.com/legal-help-...cial-needs-kid

I don't know how these two are keeping their $#@! together.

[Jamesiv1]

He's lucky he didn't get the Reefer Madness.

[Suzanimal]

...

On May 19 and 20, the sheriffs office says they arrested the couple for reckless conduct.

"Marijuana is still illegal to possess or use in the state of Georgia," Mitchum wrote. "That includes allowing or giving it to children to ingest or smoke."

The sheriff said it's his duty to enforce all the laws, whether he agrees or not.

Mitchum also wrote that the state Department of Family and Children Services removed the 15-year-old from the home, after getting an order from a juvenile court judge.

He says his office was not responsible for removing the boy from the home.

"This case is a DFACS investigation, not a Twiggs County Sheriff's Office investigation," Mitchell wrote. "Based on the information my deputy had at the time, and concern for the welfare of the child, I think the charge of reckless conduct is appropriate in this case."

Mitchum says the couple was charged with reckless conduct, not possession, because deputies found no marijuana at the Brills' home.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news...source=twitter

[Cleaner44]

I seem to remember AF saying repeatedly...

DON'T TALK TO COPS!

[phill4paul]

A Georgia mother charged with giving her teenage son marijuana to treat his seizures was reunited with her son Monday under the conditions of a protective order from a Twiggs County Juvenile Court judge.

13WMAZ previously reported on the Brills’ case in May, when Suzeanna Brill and her husband Matt were arrested for giving their child, David Ray, marijuana.

They said it was for medical reasons because David suffers from severe seizures.

The ACLU filed a brief on Friday, June 29, supporting the family and asking the court to reunite them.

Brill was reunited with David Monday under the conditions of a 12-month “protective order.”

The order, issued by Judge Sam Hillburn, says the Brills must stay in contact with DFCS twice a month -- once at home and once in the state office.

David will also be required to do a monthly drug test and continue taking his prescribed medications from doctors to treat his illness, and medical records must be shared between DFCS and the Brills.

WMAZ spoke with Suzeanna after Monday’s hearing.

“Anxiety was building this morning because I didn’t know what the judge was going to say, but as soon as he said that he agreed with DFSC’s recommendation for him to come home, I melted,” said Brill.

“It was hard being away from my dogs, my mom, and my sisters and my step dad and all them. I’m actually kind of happy that I’m finally going home," said David.

An Atlanta private practice doctor, Rasean Hodge, accompanied the Brills to court Monday. He pointed out that last week the FDA approved a new marijuana-based drug for seizures call Epidiolex.

"We don't need anyone medical marijuana refugees to leave our state. That's just another family being torn apart," says Hodge.

Judge Hillburn says he plans to review this case again in six months. If everyone is following orders, he will consider terminating the protective order and closing the case.

They will review the case on December 13.

https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/...y/93-569867650