Real news. Real stories. Real voices.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Supported by

Patient In Right-To-Die Case Dies

A 20-year-old woman at the center of an end-of-life court battle over her treatment at a Reno hospital has died while still on life support, her family's lawyer said Tuesday.

Aden Hailu died about 4:30 p.m. Monday at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, where she never awoke from anesthesia after surgery April 1, said David O'Mara, the attorney representing Hailu's father and family.

O'Mara said the family was told the cause was respiratory failure.

Sponsor Message

The hospital didn't immediately comment.

Hailu's father, Fanuel Gebreyes, lost a bid in court last week to delay brain electroencephalogram, or EEG, tests that the hospital said would show she was brain dead and wouldn't recover.

Washoe County Family Court Judge Frances Doherty had given Saint Mary's the go-ahead to conduct brain wave tests, but indicated she wouldn't rule until at least Jan. 22 on the question of life or death.

O'Mara said Tuesday it didn't appear the tests had been done. He said he had no more immediate information.