MINNEAPOLIS, May 15 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old Minnesota teen must undergo chemotherapy for cancer even though the treatment is against his family's beliefs, a judge ruled.
The St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press reported that Brown County District Court Judge John Rodenberg said there is overwhelming medical evidence that Daniel Hauser will most likely survive if he receives the treatment and die if he doesn't.
In his 60-page ruling Friday, the judge said officials proved "a compelling state interest in the life and welfare of Daniel sufficient to override the fundamental constitutional rights of both the parents and Daniel to the free exercise of religion and the due process right of the parents to direct the religious and other upbringing of their child."
Daniel and his parents have sought treatments for the boy's form of Hodgkin's lymphoma that included diet, vitamins and ionized water, stating that they belonged to the Nemenhah, a quasi-Native American spiritual group.
The judge ordered that the Hausers select an oncologist before a May 19 review of the case.
In his ruling, the judge noted that his finding might have been different if it involved someone who was older and had a greater understanding of his illness.
"This matter ... involves a 13-year-old child who has only a rudimentary understanding at best of the risks and benefits of chemotherapy," the judge said. "He genuinely opposes the imposition of chemotherapy. However, he does not believe he is ill currently. The fact is that he is very ill currently."
