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Girl pronounced brain dead 5 years ago dies in NJ

Posted at 5:56 PM, Jun 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-28 20:56:19-04

Jahi McMath, the girl whose case received international attention after her family refused to accept doctors' findings that McMath was brain dead, officially died on June 22 in New Jersey, the Mercury News reported

McMath died from internal bleeding and kidney issues, a family spokesperson told Mercury News. 

In 2013, McMath was declared brain dead by doctors in California, and her doctors wanted to take her off life support. McMath suffered from cardiac arrest after complications from a nose and throat surgery. 

McMath's mom Nailah Winkfield fought doctors in court to keep McMath on life support. After a lengthy legal battle, McMath was cleared to be transferred to a facility in New Jersey. 

There, McMath received around-the-clock care, and reportedly was able to move her fingers on command.  McMath also reportedly continued to grow and go through puberty while on life support. 

Winkfield is having her daughter's brain preserved for scientific study, she told the Mercury News.