WASHOE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
The Washoe County Public Guardian’s Office was appointed by Family Court Judge Egan Walker as a neutral fact finder to investigate the case of a mentally handicapped pregnant 32-year-old woman with the reported mental capacity of a six-year-old. The woman’s court-appointed legal guardians–who are her parents –had failed to submit required annual reports of her condition to the Court, resulting in a status review of the case by the Court. As is required by statute as a mandatory report, the woman’s physician had notified Washoe County Adult Social Services that his patient was pregnant and that he was concerned that as a vulnerable person, she had been impregnated by an unknown person, possibly against her will. Because of her mental capacity, she does not have the ability to provide legal consent to sexual activity. She has a history of eloping from her placement and engaging in risky sexual behavior for money. The Court appointed the Public Guardian’s Office to investigate the ward’s condition as to medical, psychiatric, psychological, care and maintenance, and appropriateness of her placement.
The Public Guardian’s Office was not directed by the Court to render any findings or conclusions as to whether the pregnancy should continue, nor have they made any findings or conclusions as to whether the pregnancy should continue.
The Court may or may not render any decisions at a 2:30 hearing on this matter.
Contact: Dania Reid, Deputy District Attorney 775-337-5700
[NOTE: We suspect this release was sent in response to a religious-based writer on a pro-life website. The story was shared more than 8,500 times on Facebook, as a Facebook page naming this person was created yesterday. — Ed.]
