Woman With Down Syndrome Wins Independence From Her Parents
A 29-year-old woman with Down syndrome won her independence from her parents in a guardianship case on Friday when a judge ruled that the woman couldn't be kept in a group home against her will.
Jenny Hatch, who has an IQ of 50, had been working at a thrift shop in Virginia and living with her employers before her parents obtained a temporary guardianship that allowed them to force her to live in a series of group homes.
In a victory for Hatch and disability advocates, the judge in the case rejected Hatch's parents' guardianship request, ruling that while Hatch still needs a guardian to help her with decisions, her preferences are equally relevant. Hatch's friends and employers, Kelly Morris and Jim Talbert, were granted a temporary guardianship instead.
