▁the ▁baby ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁hospital ▁many ▁times ▁for ▁resp ir atory ▁problems . ▁ ▁Leg al ▁proceed ings ▁When ▁baby ▁Ke ene ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁hospital ▁at ▁six ▁months ▁of ▁age ▁for ▁severe ▁resp ir atory ▁problems , ▁the ▁hospital ▁file d ▁a ▁legal ▁motion ▁to ▁appoint ▁a ▁guard ian ▁for ▁the ▁child ' s ▁care ▁and ▁sought ▁a ▁court ▁order ▁that ▁the ▁hospital ▁did ▁not ▁need ▁to ▁provide ▁any ▁services ▁beyond ▁pal li ative ▁care . ▁At ▁trial , ▁several ▁exper ts ▁test ified ▁that ▁providing ▁vent il ator ▁support ▁to ▁an ▁an ence phal ic ▁infant ▁went ▁beyond ▁the ▁accepted ▁standard ▁of ▁medical ▁care . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁baby ' s ▁mother ▁argued ▁her ▁case ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁of ▁religious ▁freedom ▁and ▁the ▁san ct ity ▁of ▁life . ▁In ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁r uling , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁hospital ▁car ing ▁for ▁Ke ene ▁must ▁put ▁her ▁on ▁a ▁mechanical ▁vent il ator ▁whenever ▁she ▁had ▁trouble ▁breath ing . ▁The ▁court ▁interpreted ▁the ▁Emer gency ▁Medical ▁Tre at ment ▁and ▁Active ▁Labor ▁Act ▁( E MT AL A ) ▁to ▁require ▁continued ▁vent ilation ▁for ▁the ▁infant . ▁The ▁word ing ▁of ▁this ▁act ▁requires ▁that ▁patients ▁who ▁present ▁with ▁a ▁medical ▁emer gency ▁must ▁get ▁" such ▁treatment ▁as ▁may ▁be ▁required ▁to ▁stabil ize ▁the ▁medical ▁condition " ▁before ▁the ▁patient ▁is ▁transferred ▁to ▁another ▁facility . ▁The ▁court ▁refused ▁to ▁take ▁a