Nailah Winkfield does n't know what a new court-appointed independent doctor will say about her daughter , who was declared brain dead after tonsil surgery this month . But she has no doubt about one thing : her plan to keep fighting for her daughter to stay on life support . `` I 'm her mother . I 'm going to support her . It 's my job to do it . Any mother would do it , '' Winkfield said in an exclusive interview with CNN 's The Lead on Monday . `` I just want her to have more time . There are so many stories of people waking up in her situation . '' Doctors at Children 's Hospital & Research Center in Oakland , California , have said 13-year-old Jahi McMath is brain dead and wo n't wake up . `` We have the deepest sympathy for Jahi 's mother , who wishes her daughter was alive ; but the ventilator can not reverse the brain death that has occurred and it would be wrong to give false hope that Jahi will ever come back to life , '' Dr. David Durand , the hospital 's chief of pediatrics , said in a statement on Monday . McMath was declared brain dead December 12 , three days after the surgery . The case has drawn national attention and sparked protests from some local leaders who say the hospital should have provided better care . On Monday , a judge appointed Dr. Paul Fisher , chief of pediatric neurology at Stanford Children 's Hospital , to evaluate McMath . Fisher is expected to testify on the case in a closed hearing Tuesday , according to court documents . Alameda Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo also ruled that the hospital must hold off on any decisions regarding discontinuing life support until December 30 . And he encouraged both sides to work together . `` This is a very , very charged case . The stakes are very high . There is a young girl involved , and I think it would suit both parties well if you would speak with each other about how we are going to get through the next few days , '' Grillo said . Ultimately , the fight pits the family 's faith against what the hospital calls false hope . Winkfield told CNN Monday that she 's seen recent improvements in her daughter 's condition . A hospital monitor suggests her daughter is trying to breathe on her own , she said . `` They told me without your brain , you ca n't take your own breath , '' Winkfield said . `` Well , she 's trying , so that means something 's working . '' Winkfield said the memory of watching her daughter bleeding profusely after the surgery remains seared in her mind . The hospital has n't done enough to explain to her what went wrong , she said . `` They have not given me a reason yet of why she went into cardiac arrest . They have n't even given me a reason for her bleeding . They have n't given me a reason that they could n't stop the bleeding , '' she said . `` The only thing they keep pushing for me is to get her off their ventilator . '' Durand said Monday that hospital officials are looking into the matter and are `` committed to learning what led to this catastrophic outcome . '' `` We are sorry that Jahi McMath suffered tragic complications from her complex surgery , '' he said . `` Our hearts go out to the grieving family and community about this sad situation . We look forward to the independent expert 's evaluation of the patient . '' Douglas Straus , an attorney for the hospital , told the judge that McMath could n't be brought back to life . `` This is obviously a tragic situation , '' he said . `` A young lady has died and no one takes that in a callous or uncaring manner , but she is dead . '' Winkfield , meanwhile , said she still has faith . `` I will not stop fighting for Jahi , because , like I said , I see signs of improvement , '' she said . `` I really feel that my child needs time to heal . ''
`` I just want her to have more time , '' Jahi McMath 's mom says . The 13-year-old is on life support after tonsil surgery . An independent , court-appointed doctor will evaluate her . Doctors declared her brain dead three days after operation .