People v. E.G.

On February 23, 1987, appellant E.G., a 17-year-old woman, was admitted to a hospital and diagnosed as having acute leukemia. When appellant and her parents were told that her treatment would include blood transfusions, they refused to consent to such treatment because of their religious beliefs. Appellant and her parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses; they believe that the reception of transfusions would be a violation of a biblical prohibition against the consumption of blood. They consented to any other type of treatment.

Attending physicians contacted the office of the State’s Attorney; that…