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CNN Live Saturday

Maria DeJesus Released From Hospital

Aired June 07, 2003 - 16:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Los Angeles for an update on those twin Guatemalan girls that were once conjoined at the head. CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is at UCLA hospital where one of the girls will be spending the night away from her sister, who has to stay at the hospital -- Thelma.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka. As you had mentioned, one of the formerly conjoined twins, 22-month- old Maria DeJesus made an appearance out here at the courtyard today. She was all smiles. She was released today after spending nearly two weeks in the hospital after suffering seizures when she was back home in Guatemala.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARICE MARSH, UCLA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: We're very excited this morning that DeJesus is going to be discharged this morning. I think all of us were upset when they first arrived, we were concerned. But at the same time, happy to see them again, and very encouraged by the improvement. DeJesus is doing great, so we're really celebrating today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: Her twin, Maria Teresa, will remain in the hospital. She's recovering from surgery to replace a valve which helped drain fluid from her brain. She also had a feeding tube placed in her stomach. Now, the two children were joined at the head for the first 377 days of life. The twins were separated last August during a 23- hour surgery. They were born with normal brains, separate brains, but their veins had crisscrossed, and so they needed to be reconstructed.

Now, both of the children returned to Guatemala in January. They developed medical problems and were returned here to Los Angeles in May. Nurses say that the girls have a special bond, but especially now that they're finally able to look at each other face-to-face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRIS EMBLETON, CO-FOUNDER, HEALING THE CHILDREN: Teresa, who sometimes fusses when we touch her, never fusses at all. And really seems to know that it's her sister that's there. And it's really terrific. Oh, you like to play. Yes, she probably does, this one's a flirt.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GUTIERREZ: Now, the parents of both of the girls had to stay behind in Guatemala this time. We're told that the girls were brought here on a private plane and that there was no space for the parents, so they did stay behind. But the children have been in contact with their parents every single day -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry, Thelma, so the parents are in Guatemala and they may not be reunited with the children for quite some time?

GUTIERREZ: Yes, that's correct, Fredricka. The parents were not able to come here, to be with them this time around. However, we're told that Maria DeJesus, though she was released from the hospital today, will remain here in Los Angeles. She'll be under the care of volunteers and she will not be returned to Guatemala until her sister, Maria Teresa, is finally released, and then they'll both return together.

WHITFIELD: And so those volunteers or foster, you know, parents or family, they are expecting to take care of the kids for the long haul once the other sister is released from the hospital, before the family could finally make their way out of Guatemala?

GUTIERREZ: Yes, that's correct. They will -- the one child, Maria DeJesus, will remain with the foster family or the volunteer family until her sister, Maria Teresa, who remains here in the hospital, is well enough to go home. The parents will not be brought back here to Los Angeles. The children will be taken home to Guatemala to be reunited with their parents.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Thelma Gutierrez out of UCLA, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 7, 2003 - 16:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Los Angeles for an update on those twin Guatemalan girls that were once conjoined at the head. CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is at UCLA hospital where one of the girls will be spending the night away from her sister, who has to stay at the hospital -- Thelma.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka. As you had mentioned, one of the formerly conjoined twins, 22-month- old Maria DeJesus made an appearance out here at the courtyard today. She was all smiles. She was released today after spending nearly two weeks in the hospital after suffering seizures when she was back home in Guatemala.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARICE MARSH, UCLA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: We're very excited this morning that DeJesus is going to be discharged this morning. I think all of us were upset when they first arrived, we were concerned. But at the same time, happy to see them again, and very encouraged by the improvement. DeJesus is doing great, so we're really celebrating today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: Her twin, Maria Teresa, will remain in the hospital. She's recovering from surgery to replace a valve which helped drain fluid from her brain. She also had a feeding tube placed in her stomach. Now, the two children were joined at the head for the first 377 days of life. The twins were separated last August during a 23- hour surgery. They were born with normal brains, separate brains, but their veins had crisscrossed, and so they needed to be reconstructed.

Now, both of the children returned to Guatemala in January. They developed medical problems and were returned here to Los Angeles in May. Nurses say that the girls have a special bond, but especially now that they're finally able to look at each other face-to-face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRIS EMBLETON, CO-FOUNDER, HEALING THE CHILDREN: Teresa, who sometimes fusses when we touch her, never fusses at all. And really seems to know that it's her sister that's there. And it's really terrific. Oh, you like to play. Yes, she probably does, this one's a flirt.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GUTIERREZ: Now, the parents of both of the girls had to stay behind in Guatemala this time. We're told that the girls were brought here on a private plane and that there was no space for the parents, so they did stay behind. But the children have been in contact with their parents every single day -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry, Thelma, so the parents are in Guatemala and they may not be reunited with the children for quite some time?

GUTIERREZ: Yes, that's correct, Fredricka. The parents were not able to come here, to be with them this time around. However, we're told that Maria DeJesus, though she was released from the hospital today, will remain here in Los Angeles. She'll be under the care of volunteers and she will not be returned to Guatemala until her sister, Maria Teresa, is finally released, and then they'll both return together.

WHITFIELD: And so those volunteers or foster, you know, parents or family, they are expecting to take care of the kids for the long haul once the other sister is released from the hospital, before the family could finally make their way out of Guatemala?

GUTIERREZ: Yes, that's correct. They will -- the one child, Maria DeJesus, will remain with the foster family or the volunteer family until her sister, Maria Teresa, who remains here in the hospital, is well enough to go home. The parents will not be brought back here to Los Angeles. The children will be taken home to Guatemala to be reunited with their parents.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Thelma Gutierrez out of UCLA, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com