20-20 Tonight--3-yr-old dies of AIDS and denial

[Mercutio]

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Heal...1386737&page=1
an excerpt...

Quote:

In 1992, Maggiore tested positive for HIV. While researching her diagnosis, she became a member of a small, but radical movement proclaiming that everything we thought we knew about AIDS was wrong — even the most basic premise, that HIV causes AIDS.

She addressed huge crowds at rock concerts, and sparked protests in Africa. Mainstream scientists dismissed her message as dangerous. But a defiant Maggiore was intent on practicing what she preached, refusing to take anti-viral medication like AZT when pregnant.

She and her husband, filmmaker Robin Scovill, had a son, Charlie, in 1998. When she began breastfeeding her son in public, there was outrage that an HIV-positive mother might be literally feeding her child a deadly virus. Evidence shows that breastfeeding increases the risk of transmitting the virus to children by up to 15 percent.

Authorities investigated, but in the end, determined that her son was well cared for and healthy.

When Eliza Jane was born in 2001, Maggiore — still healthy without anti-AIDS drugs — again refused anti-viral treatment when pregnant and later insisted on breastfeeding.

"Breastfeeding provides important antibody immunity," Maggiores said. "I wanted to give my children every advantage, and by doing so with Charlie, I raised a beautiful, healthy son. By breast feeding Eliza Jane, I had a beautiful, healthy daughter."


Refusal to Test Her Kids

Maggiore also refused to test her children to see if they were infected with the virus.

"Why would I risk the stigma, the medical label, the toxic drugs? It didn't make any sense to me at all to subject her to that. It's my job as a parent to protect my children, and do everything I can to ensure they lead a long, healthy, happy, productive life," Maggiore said.

I don't know whether to be angry or just sad.

[Freakshow]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Heal...1386737&page=1
an excerpt...


I don't know whether to be angry or just sad.

"Toxic drugs". As opposed to...a toxic virus?

Unreal...

[clarsct]

Well, the story isn't a new one:
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45105

But this development is. This woman is a f'kin idiot. The DA in her neck of the woods is obviously a ball-less wonder. She ought to be charged with neglect and manslaughter, at the least. She murdered her child. F**kwit.

But I've stated these opinions before. These people are no longer getting sympathy from me, because, from what I've seen, they choose to be ignorant, and that ignorance kills. If you choose to be ignorant, then too f'kin bad. I just feel sorry for the poor kid who had no say in her mother's stupidity. What a waste.


This woman doesn't even have the shame and decency to crawl under a rock. Pathetic.

[Achán hiNidráne]

I read the transcript. It was a freaking puff piece. 20/20 was way too lenient on her. I bet all they lobbed at her were softball questions.

If I had been conducting this interview, I guarantee, I'll ask the proper questions:

"Why did you let your daughter die?

"What makes you so stupid enough to deny reliable science regarding HIV that you would let your daughter die?"

"How does it feel to kill your daughter?"

"Why shouldn't I grab a heavy, blunt instrument and beat your empty head in for killing your daughter?"

"What excuses and quack "experts" are you going to use when your son and husband eventually die of AIDS, just like your daughter did?"

Now, THAT'S journalism.

[clarsct]

I see we are of the same opinion, Mark.

But now I am torn. Do I go to Law School to put these idiots away, or go in for journalism to ask them these types of questions?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Achán hiNidráne]

Originally Posted by clarsct

I see we are of the same opinion, Mark.

But now I am torn. Do I go to Law School to put these idiots away, or go in for journalism to ask them these types of questions?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Turst me, as a former reporter, go to law school. Journalism pays squat.

[shecky]

I saw it. Denial is the key word here. I don't think Maggiore will ever believe she caused her daughter's illness, even if she were browbeaten with the facts of the autopsy.

There was no new info on the matter, however, that hadn't been covered here in prior threads. I was hoping for more info on the matter.

[Phil]

I saw the story on Primetime last night. Pretty sad case.

[Belz...]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Heal...1386737&page=1
an excerpt...


I don't know whether to be angry or just sad.

Angry, Mercutio. VERY angry.

So, what DOES she thinks causes AIDS ??

[CFLarsen]

Originally Posted by Belz...

Angry, Mercutio. VERY angry.

So, what DOES she thinks causes AIDS ??

Listening to her arguments: Aliens did it. Together with the Illuminati, the Windsors, the Bush'es, the Vatican and the Kennedys.

[I'll_buy_that]

[quote=clarsct;1315193]Well, the story isn't a new one:
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45105

...But I've stated these opinions before. These people are no longer getting sympathy from me, because, from what I've seen, they choose to be ignorant, and that ignorance kills. If you choose to be ignorant, then too f'kin bad. I just feel sorry for the poor kid who had no say in her mother's stupidity. What a waste.
...QUOTE]

she may not get any sympaty for killing her daughter, but this is bigger than just her immediate family. She is just ignoring a serious desease and ignorance may kill more than just her surviving son. She may have more children.

if her children survive with the HIV virus into and past their teans, they might infect others. They won't know any better because they were raised ignorant by their mother, but they would be spreading a deadly virus.

look at what is happening with polio with the amish communities. http://www.thepowerhour.com/news2/polio_amish.htm

They don't believe in innoculations for thier children, some are getting polio. things like innoculations are for society as a whole and is bigger than one family. because the innoculations aren't 100% affective, everyone needs to be innoculated, or society as a whole is at risk. survivors of polio can carry the desease and spread it to those for whom were not innoculated because of when they were born or to those for whom the innoculations wore off or weren't effective. These things are faught with numbers not just one isolated community or family.

[Capsid]

The recent polio infection in Amish communities arose from infection from someone who had received the live vaccine not the wild type virus. This is going to be a problem in the eradication of polio until the use of the live virus vaccine is discontinued and unvaccinated individuals exist. Polio does not have an asymptomatic carrier state.

[Chris Haynes]

I missed the program. What I read on their site seems to show that Maggiore just does not respond to questions if her answer does not fit her perception. I am starting to think she has either some serious psychological neurosis that is clouding reality for her... or that if she admits to wrong-doing it will cause sales of her books and her hubby's videos to go down.

ABC News Primetime did post the LA Coroner's report. There had been some initial problems with the file... but it works now:
http://abcnews.go.com/images/Primeti...r%20report.pdf

Edited to add: My accusation of her denial being part of a ploy to keep up sales of her book has just been reinforced by checking out the reviews of it on Amazon.com... She has added her own review claiming that there is going to be an "independent" review of the coroner's report. Failing (of course) to mention the reviewer is a member of the board of the "Alive and Well" bunch (who sell their video), and has absolutely no training in human medicine:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...nDate&n=507846

[Bone_Vulture]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

I don't know whether to be angry or just sad.

Horrified is the key adjective for me. To think about that I'd meet an interesting partner, have a long term relationship, and then she'd casually mention one day that she's "HIV positive, but doesn't mind since AIDS is really a fabrication created by the vast pharmaceutical industry conspiracy". Thanks!

[Chris Haynes]

Update: Because ABC News posted the LA Coroner's report online, some actual real medical doctors have gotton a crack at it. Here is an updated report from one (Nick Bennett, a UK Cambridge trained doctor with a PhD in HIV/AIDS research):
http://catallarchy.net/blog/wp-conte...Eliza_Ver2.pdf

Because there were initial problems downloading from the ABC News site (oh, clarification.. that is AMERICAN Broadcasting Company, not the other one down under), a very astute skeptic downloaded it on his site:
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/commen...orecoroner.pdf (many of you will recognize the site as a must visit each week... newbies should become familiar with Peter Bowditch, a great Aussie skeptic... and should at a minimum check out his Skeptobear's travels to TAM II:
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/bear/index.html ).