Octuplets' Family Filed For Bankruptcy

Source: Also Abandoned A House; L.A. Times: Mom Had Embryos Implanted; Ethicist Blasts Clinic That Did

(CBS)  CBS News has learned that the family of the octuplets born this week outside Los Angeles filed for bankruptcy and abandoned a home a little over a year-and-a-half ago.

Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman says the mother is in her mid-thirties and lives with her parents.

There's been no mention of the octuplets' father, Kauffman observes.

The grandfather, she adds, is apparently going to head back to his native Iraq to earn money for the growing family. He told CBS News he's a former Iraqi military man.

Kauffman reported Thursday, and the octuplets' maternal grandmother now confirms to the Los Angeles Times, that the babies' mother already had six young children.

And a family acquaintance had told Kauffman that two of the six other kids are twins, and the six range in age from about two to about seven.

The mother's name is still being kept under wraps.

But her mother, Angela Suleman, also tells the newspaper her daughter conceived the octuplets through a fertility program.

Suleman told the Times her daughter had embryos implanted and, "They all happened to take."

On The Early Show Friday, the scientific director of an Atlanta-area fertility clinic blasted whichever clinic did the implantations, saying he's "stunned."

Doctors at the hospital where the octuplets were born, Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in Bellflower, Calif., some 17 miles southeast of L.A., say the patient came to them already three months pregnant.

Asked at a news conference whether fertility assistance should be provided for a mother who already has multiple children, Dr. Harold Henry, part of the team that delivered the octuplets, said, "Kaiser has no policy on that, adding that doctors counseled the woman on her options.

"The options," said Henry, "were to continue the pregnancy or to selectively abort. The patient chose to continue the pregnancy."

Dr. Karen Maples, who also helped deliver the octuplets, read a statement from the mother saying, "My family and I are ecstatic about all of their arrivals."

The woman and her children live in a neighborhood of small, one-story homes, Kauffman reports, all with two-to-three bedrooms at most. Soon, she pointed out, there will be 14 children and at least three adults living in one of the homes -- until the grandfather heads back to his native Iraq,

Kauffman says unanswered questions include where the woman got the fertility treatments and how they were paid for.

On The Early Show Friday, Michael Tucker, scientific director of Georgia Reproductive Specialists, says all these developments leave him "stunned. As the story's unfolded and it's gone from the potential use of just fertility drugs, or misuse thereof, to actual, apparently, IVF (in-vitro fertilization) with transfer of embryos, this is just remarkable to me that any practitioner in our field of reproductive medicine would undertake such a practice."

Tucker, who has a doctorate in reproductive physiology, says it's "absolutely" possible the octuplets' mother got pregnant with them by taking fertility drugs on her own without the help of a clinic, "and that seemed the most plausible scenario, simply because the profession, we're policed by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, has focused so minutely on the fact that we need to reduce the number of embryos that we transfer. We really are all about seeking the one, the one embryo that's going to make the healthy, single-born baby.

"And this kind of multiple plethora excess of babies is too much of a good thing. And it's rather a slap in the face of the whole profession, simply because it's going in the wrong direction.

"And it's unfortunate, because the media pick up on this and seem to go, I think, Arthur Kaplan from UPenn (University of Pennsylvania) said the media tend to go goo-goo gaga over this and, in fact, it's really a bit of a medical disaster."

"Had she walked into a fertility clinic and said, 'Listen, I've got other children, the oldest seven, the youngest two,' co-anchor Julie Chen asked Tucker, "is there any ethical responsibility on the clinic's part to say, 'I'm not going to treat you,' or, 'You know what? This is not a good idea?" '

"Suffice to say," Tucker responded, "I've been in this business for 25 years now. And it's pretty much standard practice in all clinics to have some form of psychological evaluation of the patient. Also, their sociological circumstances. And I'm stunned, actually, that a clinic would proceed to treat a patient in this circumstance and then even to get to perhaps the transfer of embryos and ponder the transfer in, I believe, the lady's mid-30s, a 35-year-old -- she should be receiving two embryos, maximum, as a transfer into her uterus to have had eight transferred is somewhat -- is extremely irresponsible."

[jojo1696]

I think she is a very selfish women there is no way all those kids can get the attention they need and demand and there is no way that she can afford to support those kids the proper way with out the government support which us tax payers pay her and she should not have been legally allowed to have more children when she is a single parent and has been with the birth of every child. She should now be made to have her tubes tide or a partial historectomy to make sure that she cant have anymore kids after all no decent man is going to love her and take on 14 children. Honestly this is all to much, now she is going to become rich and famous and get everything free from all over due to peoples generosity and concern when she cant do it for herself.......It is sooooooo wrong and people should be stopped before it starts. There are people out there that cant have children for ligitimate reason and then there are women like this thing that just spits them out because she can she should be a breeder for those that cant have children not for herself and benenfits..... im sorry if my comment offends people but there are people out there that are finding it hard with 2 kids and a mortgage and no one puts there hand out to help them (the decent ones) and yet these type of people gets it all. Its f*****. And thats just my opinion

[terryl52]

wow i wish i was this innovative- here ya go a broke down woman- no husband- llives in a dump- no job- lets play the baby game and work tv and media- wow she int dumb- she will end up with a million dollar house and probably a movie contract-intact with 4 housekeepers and 7 nannys as she plays the field in her phycotic approach for fame and motherhood of the mostp[-- look in her eyes- she is so friggin mental i wouldnt allow my dog to be with her!!!

[daddiesgirlelizabeth]

As we all know this woman is on welfare, food stamps and any other tax break she can get her hands on. She is now looking at houses, the first one was i.4 million, but this was not to her liking, (only four bedrooms), the second one was 2.6 million, this was a little better as this had six bedrooms.
Did anyone realise that, this mother, when she was awarded $165,000 for a bad back, took $100,000 for fertilization, she also had plastic surgery on her nose, on her lips, and breast augmentation, I would like to know where the money came from for her plastic surgeries, if one can get all this being on welfare, maybe we should all be collecting, I do know we are paying enough into the system through taxes, she recieves $2,000 plus, for the three children who are brain damaged, $490 for food stamps, and I did read where two of the babies are brain damaged, I see now she and her mother are bankrupt, and they owe $28,000 on their home in back mortgage, she is at the moment living in a motel,( do we tax people have to pay for that) her mother takes care of her other 6 children.
She is very irresponsible (some people state that she is a good mother) is their any wonder that she is, she has no job and is never with the 6 children.
I am worried if Kaiser will make their members pay for all this, 2.3 million for birthing the babies, 3.5 million for the care that is given to them, Kaiser is also paying for the treatment of their mother, and she was in Kaiser in Bellflower, for one month before she gave birth.

[boxcarbetty1]

Yes It becomes my business when my taxes have to pay for her selfish stupidity. She's a welfare queen. The children need to be taken away from this syco. Imagine 14 checks at 600.00 each thats 8000.00 per month she is in it for the money. Money talks And to top it off she will get one thousand in food stamps plus free medical.

[caligurl84]

This is an outrage. I can't believe the ignorance of this woman to have eight more children when she already has six. What in GODS name was her doctor thinking when he implanted those embryos into her. He and she might as well be on crack, because it is rediculous that other taxpayers have to pay for children that aren't theirs. I am the mother of a child and if I were to go and apply for any type of assistance, I wouldn't be able to get anything, because of a selfish person like NAYDA SULEMAN. This goes for Mexicans as well. For all I care, hell she might be one her damn self. I agree with what a comment that one person made earlier that ,"This woman is going to condemned no matter what. I hope this mother, holds out couple weeks for the highest media bidder, gets couple million for pictures of babies, couple million to follow them till adulthood and couple million in trust fund money." Even a million dollars wouldn't even take care of these children plus the other six that she has. Hell she might be taking care of all those kids when she's dead and gone. THIS IS JUST AN OUTRAGE. NADYA SULEMAN YOU SUCK AS A MOTHER AND A PERSON. YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR LEGS CLOSED WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING A REAL DICK OR SOME SORT OF SERINGE STUCK UP YOUR **** TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD. MAY YOU BURN IN HELL AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO SUFFER ARE YOU CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO SUFFER IN THE END.

[pianousa]

This is an outrageous act on many levels. My husband and I are a childless couple by choice; and this news is an affront to those like us who pay taxes for other couples and/or single parents to receive tax breaks because they have families. Enough is enough! Federal and State goverments should not be providing tax incentives for people with families; if anything, governing bodies should be providing tax incentives for people NOT to have families! Life is not made richer by reproducing in large quantities; and those who cannot produce quality offspring who contribute to the betterment and survival of humanity commit shameful acts of lower-brain, animal-like behavior. We are tired of paying for others'' tax breaks to procreate!

[clovernyc]

clover NYC seems to like kids. Hey bozo, do you like unwanted kids?? How about unwanted kids with severe disabilities? Why dont you and yours adapt some? Jesus would love that.
Posted by djberson at 09:13 PM : Feb 02, 2009
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These children were not ''unwanted'' nor do they have ''disabilities.'' Try reading the article. Geez. At the very least have an INFORMED opinion. LOL.

The real disability is the one in your brain that tells you women (and men) who want lots of children should be ostracized by the likes of you.

Get this. She had the children. They are here and they are not going anywhere. Your tax dollars will pay for pre-K or prison but you and I will pay.

And I seriously doubt you have a clue what Jesus would love.

[luvny-2009]

Something is not right here, first why did she want more kids, where is/are the fathers to all these. Either she''s got some issues wanting more kids or looking for a free ride. I''m kinda wondering now about Jon & Kate, they just bought a huge estate for over a million dollars. They get free trips everywhere and vacations. Must be nice getting free clothes, vacations, toys etc. How many house cleaners does she have now?

[djberson]

I say overturn Roe vs. Wade as long as a law is in place to force pro-lifers to raise all the resulting unwanted babies.

[djberson]

clover NYC seems to like kids. Hey bozo, do you like unwanted kids?? How about unwanted kids with severe disabilities? Why don''t you and yours adapt some? Jesus would love that.

[mmchase]

Maybe Child Protective Services should come in and take a look at the living situation and/or how the kids are developing...

[gdmbush]

This woman is going to condemned no matter what. I hope this mother, holds out couple weeks for the highest media bidder, gets couple million for pictures of babies, couple million to follow them till adulthood and couple million in trust fund money.

[gdmbush]

I hope this mother, holds out couple weeks for the highest media bidder, gets couple million for pictures of babies, couple million to follow them till adulthood and couple million in trust fund money.

[clovernyc]

I state cut her off from the system & let her starve along with the children.
Posted by cessna172_ at 05:46 PM : Feb 02, 2009
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It is so easy to anonymously post something this vicious, depraved and profoundly cruel.

You who would stand idly by while 14 innocent babies and small children starve to death in the name of saving a tax dollar.

If that is true, and I hope it is not, then you are in far worse condition than this mother who dared to give her babies a chance to live.

[cessna172_]

First & fore-most this woman is milking the system, now that she has gone this far with the situation.............I state cut her off from the system & let her starve along with the children .

Adoption agency''s won''t even want these kids, too bloody expensive to feed''em let alone find worthy parents to take them .

Yes, I''m being completely rude with this however if you can''t afford to have children, then don''t expect myself along with every tax payer to support your child !

[clovernyc]

i told you so, it told you all. it wont be long till these stories include the words ''living in squalor''
Posted by janie_super at 02:27 PM : Feb 02, 2009
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Ye old prophet of doom. Alas, you are so wrong.

That woman is going to be singing to the tune of $2 million, plus other talk/radio show appearances and a book on the Oprah bestseller list.

That plus the welfare check. Those babies are set for life.

[clovernyc]

Dont have kids unless you can afford and take care of them. Just more welfare and dysfuntional humans entering society - must be an evangelical pro-lifer nutter
Posted by bear-2009 at 11:30 AM : Feb 02, 2009
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Actually they appear to be Iraqis by nationality.

You can retract your claws now.

And hang on for the ride because these babies are here to stay. 14 brand new lives in the world. yippee.

Got milk?

[andie52]

Allison Frickert, a friend of Nadya Suleman, said that by juggling school and six children, her friend proved to be "a lot more capable than the average person in handling stress."

But some worried that she would be overwhelmed trying to raise so many children and would end up relying on public support.

"This woman could not comprehend the ramifications of having eight children of the same age at the same time," said Judith Horowitz, a Parkland, Fla.-based psychologist and author who works with couples on fertility issues. "After Pampers stops delivering the free diapers, then what?"

[janie_super]

i told you so, it told you all. it wont be long till these stories include the words "living in squalor"

[andie52]

The Early Show
Octuplets'' Mom Hires An Agent

%u201CSuleman''s mother told CBS News Nadya paid for in vitro fertilization with money from a legal settlement after a work accident.

The octuplets'' grandmother adds that all 14 kids were conceived through in vitro, using the same sperm donor.

It''s unclear how Suleman plans to support her huge family. Her parents have had financial problems. The octuplets are all preemies and will likely require extra care.

Suleman once had a license as a psychiatric technician but that expired. In recent years, she''s been an unemployed student.

Suleman, though, has hired an agent, Kauffman says, and there are reports she hopes to make money through TV interviews and even by working as an on-camera childcare expert."