Baby Joseph safely returned home

On April 21, Baby Joseph flew from St. Louis to Windsor, Canada with his family. Baby Joseph is a terminally-ill 1-year-old whose case made international headlines after a hospital in Canada refused to perform a tracheotomy and nearly removed his life support against the wishes of his parents. For the last month, Baby Joseph has been cared for at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. A tracheotomy was successfully performed and he has been off a ventilator for more than a week.

Joseph Maraachli left Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis before dawn and flew with his parents and 7-year-old brother to their home in Ontario, exactly one month after receiving a tracheotomy aimed at extending his life, the hospital said in a statement.

Baby Joseph suffers from the progressive neurological disease Leigh Syndrome. Doctors in Canada had refused to perform the tracheotomy, saying it was futile, and an Ontario court decided doctors could remove the child's breathing tube.

His family sought help from American hospitals, and Cardinal Glennon agreed to treat Joseph.

The hospital said the tracheotomy was a success and that Joseph has been breathing without a ventilator for more than a week.

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