Annelise Camp update: Texas AG says Louisiana hospital accepting transfer from Houston

HOUSTON - We have an update on Annelise Camp, the 2-and-a-half-year-old girl who is at the center of an ongoing, highly publicized legal and medical battle in Houston. 

Texas AG says Louisiana Hospital has accepted the transfer of Annelise Camp

According to a statement on Facebook by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a hospital in Louisiana has accepted her transfer to receive continued care and specialized treatment. 

What they're saying:

Paxton said in the post, "I’m grateful that 2½-year-old Annelise Camp has been accepted for transfer to Ochsner Children’s Hospital, where she can receive continued care and specialized treatment.

I want to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at Ochsner Health for stepping in to help this young girl and her family during such a difficult time. Their compassion and expertise are giving Annelise and her loved ones renewed hope.

Please join me in praying for Annelise, her family, and the medical teams caring for her. May God grant them strength, wisdom, comfort, and, above all, healing."

Memorial Day drowning incident

The backstory:

According to her father, the family was visiting relatives on Memorial Day when Annelise somehow returned to a hotel pool after taking off her life jacket.

Family members pulled her from the water and began CPR before first responders arrived.

Johnston Camp told FOX 26 it took nearly an hour before his daughter’s heartbeat returned. Since then, she has remained hospitalized at Texas Children's Hospital.

Camp said the family became concerned after a physician recommended Annelise be declared brain-dead two days after she was admitted to the hospital. The family believes additional time could make a difference.

"If there's that 1% chance or that 5% chance of results, we're going to take it," Camp said to FOX 26.

He also told FOX 26 that his family wants to ensure Annelise is given every possible opportunity to recover.

"If you give her the best opportunity, and she makes it, and she survives, and she keeps progressing, she's going to have a lifelong of testimonies," he said.

Family seeks more time

The family previously obtained a temporary restraining order in Harris County. Court records show a subsequent agreement between the family and Texas Children's Hospital allowed brain death testing to move forward while maintaining supportive care pending a June 11 hearing.

The agreement stated brain death testing was expected to begin Friday, June 5, or as soon as clinical criteria are met.

The documents also indicate Texas Children's agreed to cooperate with efforts to transfer Annelise to another medically appropriate facility willing to accept her.

Texas Children's Hospital "exhausted all medically viable options"

Texas Children’s Hospital says they have "exhausted all medically viable options" and requested transfer to 24 other hospitals for a 2-year-old girl who has been hospitalized at the facility since a Memorial Day drowning incident.

While Annelise Camp has been receiving treatment at Texas Children's Hospital, her parents have been working to transfer her to another facility while pursuing legal action to keep treatment options available.

Per a court order, brain death testing was scheduled to begin on Friday while the hospital maintained supportive care pending a June 11 hearing.

On Friday, the Texas Children’s Hospital released a statement saying, "Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the family and their loved ones during this difficult time. Our expert and dedicated clinical team have exhausted all medically viable options and we continue to work tirelessly to honor the family’s wishes while following legal guidelines. As such, per the family’s request, we have already delayed testing for a week and have formally requested transfer to an unprecedented 24 hospitals. This is a tragic and heartbreaking situation and we will continue to do what is in the best interest of the patient from a clinical and ethical standpoint. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we are unable to comment further."

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