TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A trial to determine whether two Tampa Bay area parents will regain custody of their son, who’s battling cancer, begins Monday morning.
Joshua McAdams and Taylor Bland-Ball, the parents of 3-year-old Noah McAdams, made global headlines in April when they refused chemotherapy for their son after he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia, which affects blood and bone marrow.
The parents told WBTW News13’s sister station WFLA News Channel 8 back in May they vehemently opposed this form of cancer treatment. Instead, they preferred a more organic approach to healing – one that did not include chemo.
But when the couple sought a second opinion for their son’s diagnosis, they traveled with him out of state. This resulted in a missing child alert and prompted a nationwide search originating in Hillsborough County.
Law enforcement tracked down McAdams and Bland-Ball in Kentucky with Noah. The family returned to Tampa Bay, and his parents lost custody.
The judge also ordered immediate chemotherapy for Noah.
For months, the child’s grandparents have had temporary custody.
Noah’s mother and father are allowed at his medical appointments and treatments, and supervised visits.
The custody trial begins at 9 a.m. at the Hillsborough County Courthouse, before Judge Thomas Palermo.
The trial is expected to last two days.
LATEST NEWS:
