A big share of the financial burden of raising Nadya Suleman's 14 children could fall on the shoulders of California's taxpayers, compounding the public furor in a state already billions of dollars in the red.
Even before the 33-year-old single, unemployed mother gave birth to octuplets last month, she had been caring for her six other children with the help of $490 a month in food stamps, plus Social Security disability payments for three of the youngsters. The public aid will almost certainly be increased with the new additions to her family.
Also, the hospital where the octuplets are expected to spend seven to 12 weeks has requested reimbursement from Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, for care of the premature babies, according to the Los Angeles Times. The cost has not been disclosed.
Word of the public assistance has stoked the furor over Suleman's decision to have so many children by having embryos implanted in her womb.
"It appears that, in the case of the Suleman family, raising 14 children takes not simply a village but the combined resources of the county, state and federal governments," Los Angeles Times columnist Tim Rutten wrote in Wednesday's paper. He called Suleman's story "grotesque."
On the Internet, bloggers rained insults on Suleman, calling her an "idiot," criticizing her decision to have more children when she couldn't afford the ones she had and suggesting she be sterilized.
"It's my opinion that a woman's right to reproduce should be limited to a number which the parents can pay for," Charles Murray wrote in a letter to the Los Angeles Daily News. "Why should my wife and I, as taxpayers, pay child support for 14 Suleman kids?"
She was also berated on talk radio, where listeners accused her of manipulating the system and being an irresponsible mother.
"From the outside you can tell that this woman was playing the system," host Bryan Suits said on the "Kennedy and Suits" show on KFI-AM. "You're damn right the state should step in and seize the kids and adopt them out."
Suleman's spokesman, Mike Furtney, urged understanding.
"I would just ask people to consider her situation and she has been under a tremendous amount of pressure that no one could be prepared for," Furtney said.
Furtney said he, Suleman and her family had received death threats and had been getting messages that were "disgusting things that would never be proper to put in any story." Read more at the AP website...
What a cute baby named Maliyah up there! Please absolutely refrain from death threats as that is against the law!
ABOUT THE CHUKWU OCTUPLETS.
The Chukwu Octuplets (born in December 1998 in Houston, Texas) to mom Nkem Chukwu and dad Iyke Louis were the first set of octuplets born in the United States. The smallest of the octuplets, Odera, died a week after birth.
- Chukwuebuka Nkemjika (Ebuka) - Girl, weighed 690g (22 oz.) at birth
- Chidinma Anulika (Chidi) - Girl, weighed 760g (24.4 oz.) at birth
- Chinecherem Nwabugwu (Echerem) - Girl, weighed 800g (25.7 oz.) at birth
- Chimaijem Otito (Chima) - Girl, weighed 730g (23.5 oz.) at birth
- Chijindu Chidera (Odera) - Girl, weighed 320g (10.3 oz.) at birth R.I.P
- Chukwubuikem Maduabuchi (Ikem) - Boy, weighed 500g (16.0 oz.) at birth
- Chijioke Chinedum (Jioke) - Boy, weighed 810g (26.0 oz.) at birth
- Chinagorom Chidiebere (Gorom) - Girl, weighed 520g (16.7 oz.) at birth
The first of the octuplets, Ebuka, was born on December 8, 15 weeks premature. The remainder were born by Caesarean section on December 20, 13 weeks premature. The smallest of the octuplets, Odera, died on December 27, a week after birth.
Within a month of being born, all remaining 7 babies were breathing independently without any support from oxygen. A few years ago The Houston Chronicle did an update on the family and reported that the 7 babies were thriving and growing like normal children.
HEY KIDS! MILLIE THE GLOBAL OCTUPUS IS READY TO CHAT. CHATS ANNOUNCED A DAY BEFORE.
Many of your kids want to share hobbies and more with the Octuplets who are now 10 years old. Bring them with you to the chatroom on Saturday mornings.
OCTUPLET CHATROOM FOR MOMS, DADS AND KIDS. (ABSOLUTELY NO PROFANITY PLEASE! ZERO TOLERANCE.)
3 comments:
i feel so bad for her that they are giving her threats like that. how could they say that to her, i mean she just gave birth to 8 kids and now they're protesting outside her house saying evil things, it's horrible! i live in the U.S. and people here can be so cruel. i mean what are they going to gain by protesting outside her house?! the kids were already born and it's happened and can't be changed. and even if we do have to pay for her bills with our taxes, it'll only amount to like A DOLLAR PER HOUSEHOLD. one dollar out of your wallet, for the sake of the babies. i swear, some people here are so selfish.
why should we have to pay for someone else's children? NO its not the babies fault but I have my own children to take care of! I dont work my ass off to take care of my newborn twins and my toddler and then to take care of other peoples kids... I cant even get state assistance of any type because I make too much but this bitch can??! Screw this shit. Now my sisters are in the great state of CALI where they got to pay for the bills of this lady... NICE!
oh my goodness, this is horrible. I agree with the first commenter, people shouldn't be giving death threats to her. it's just plain wrong, i mean do they want to leave these children without their mother who they love? i feel so sorry for her. everyone should just stop being mean, just stop insulting and swearing at her, it's very immature. People who have less money can get state assistance, and it's not her fault she gets state assistance, get mad at the government for giving it. but none the less, don't you want the best for her? i mean it's for her kids, don't you want her kids to grow up in a good environment with food and the basic necessities? and not with death threats and crazy protesters looming about everywhere?
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