Mom May Lose 400-Pound Orlando Teen
Josiah Lewis, 13, may be put in foster care if he can't slim down
By BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 11:06 AM EDT, Thu, Oct 15, 2009
A 400-pound Orlando teen with an unending appetite may soon become a ward of the state if his mom can't get him healthy.
Josiah Lewis is only 13 but already has diabetes and high blood pressure from overeating, and doctors say his condition is life-threatening.
Mom Brenda Lewis told clickorlando.com that she's trying to get Josiah to slim down, but he won't stop eating and refuses to take medicine.
"At 13, how can I make him? What do you want me to do?" a frustrated Brenda said. "These people are going to come in my house and take my child and sign me over as unfit. I don't know how you feel about that but I think very highly of that, that's not right."
The Department of Children and families became alarmed after Josiah missed doctors appointments. DCF said they have the right to remove a child from a home if the medical condition is life-threatening.
Though that scenario is rare, it's not unprecedented. In May, a 550-pound 14-year-old was removed from his South Carolina home, put in foster care, and his mother arrested for his obese condition.
As of now, Josiah is still at home, and Brenda said she's doing the best she can to trim the fat.
"He knows it's serious," Brenda said. "He didn't come with a manuscript or a guide. I [have] just been working my way through."
First Published: Oct 15, 2009 7:19 AM EDT on NBC Miami
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