LOWELL, Mass., April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At a stop in Massachusetts today, Governor Deval Patrick was respectfully confronted regarding his state's mistreatment of 15-year-old Justina Pelletier, who is being held in state custody. 

The 3:43 video can be seen here: http://youtu.be/YjnWWyy6ah8

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Pelletier family spokesperson, says, "Sadly, Governor Patrick did not answer several key questions. They are: Why is Justina not being educated after 14 months? Why was Justina not allowed to attend church for 14 months? Why did Governor Patrick accuse the family of a history of neglect when he has presented no public evidence to support such a claim? What is the reunification plan to return to return Justina to the loving arms of her family?"

Mahoney continued, "Given Governor Patrick's background in civil rights law, he should be well prepared to answer for the curtailment of Justina's Constitutionally-guaranteed civil rights at the hands of Massachusetts DCF. If Governor Patrick can literally pardon and release convicted criminals, it's beyond belief that he says his hands are tied to help innocent Justina Pelletier."

Michael Graham, a pundit for the Boston Herald, also noted the misinformation spread by Governor Patrick about Justina Pelletier's family: "Justina was seized back in early 2013 during her initial visit to [Boston] Children's. That hospital and DCF knew literally nothing about the Pelletier family of Connecticut at that time — certainly not about life 'in the home.'"

"How could anyone at DCF have any knowledge of 'neglect in the home'" at that time, asks Graham.

Justina Pelletier has been held in Massachusetts DCF custody ever since her parents and Tufts Medical Center doctors disagreed with the diagnosis of doctors at Boston Children's Hospital.

SOURCE Personhood USA