Appeal Denied After Court Rules That Child Can Be Circumcised, Orders Mom Not To Tell Her Son That She Opposes
A court in Florida ordered that a four-year-old boy’s father, Dennis Nebus, has the right to have him circumcised even though his mother opposes the circumcision. Chase Ryan Nebus-Hironimus is a Palm Beach County boy. He turned four on Oct. 31. Last month, the state appeals court ruled that the father could proceed with the circumcision, but according to the Sun Sentinel on Friday, the boy had not been circumcised yet. The boys mother, backed by emotional and financial support from online groups affiliated with the websites Saving Chase and Bloodstained Men, vowed to try to take the case to the Florida Supreme Court to prevent her son from being circumcised.
As the case unfolded over the last year, other anti-routine-circumcision activists, known as intactivists, also rallied behind Heather Hironimus, Chase’s mother, and helped to support her legal expenses. Intactivists and other supporters of Chase’s mom’s efforts created a social media campaign using the hashtag #SavingChase.
#SavingChase: “#circumcision performed on non consenting human beings whether ?, ?, white, or black is a crime!” #i2 https://t.co/6sqfZ8UAgF
— Intact Voices (@IntactVoices) December 15, 2014
During the progression of the court case, Chase’s mother was given a gag order by Circuit Judge Jeffrey Dana Gillen, according to the Palm Beach New Times, who said he would allow the circumcision because “there is no reason” not to. Chase’s mom was not to discuss the matter publicly, and she was also warned that she was not to let on to her son Chase that she opposed the idea of him being circumcised. Inquisitr covered the details of the story until that point last month.
It appears as though the Florida Supreme Court will not end up deciding on whether or not Chase will be circumcised, though. On Friday, the 4th District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach Friday denied the request of Chase’s mother to bring the case before the highest court in the state.
“It’s unfortunate the court decided the way that it did,” Rebecca Wald, a Fort Lauderdale intactivist, told the Sun Sentinel. “Circumcision is bad enough — but when you have a 4-year-old boy who is terrified to lose part of his penis and will remember it for the rest of his life, it’s insanity.”
On Tuesday, in an email to the Sun Sentinel, the father’s attorney refused comment saying it is “a family matter.” Chase’s father has commented that the reason he wants his son circumcised is, because it’s the “normal thing to do.” The boys mother was not at liberty to discuss her feelings on the trial and Chase’s probability of being circumcised due to the gag order.
[Photo via Saving Chase]
