HOUSTON — A Texas father has been released from jail after police say he brought a gun to a hospital to stop the staff from taking his son off of life support.
George Pickering II’s son was declared “brain-dead” after he suffered a massive stroke in January. The hospital ordered a “terminal wean” which is a process that slowly ends a person’s life by removing life support. The staff had even notified an organ donation organization that Pickering’s son was a donor.
Pickering, however, wasn’t ready to let go — now, his son, George Pickering III, is still alive and well because of it.
“They were moving too fast. The hospital, the nurses, the doctors,” Pickering told KPRC. “I knew if I had three or four hours that night that I would know whether George was brain-dead.”
Pickering decided to take matters into his own hands and marched into Tomball Regional Medical Center with a gun.
He admitted to being drunk and aggressive that night but said it was only because he knew there was still some life left in his son.
Police say Pickering threatened hospital staff during his three-hour standoff with police. Pickering’s other son was eventually able to get the gun away from him.
After hours of negotiation, Pickering surrendered peacefully and was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
One of the charges has been dismissed and the other was lessened. Pickering was given credit for the time he served in jail and was released in December.
