A desperate mother is appealing to have her dead son’s semen destroyed in a bid to stop his former girlfriend from having his baby.
Tony Deane, 34, died of suspected suicide in Queensland in April 2016 six months after he met girlfriend Leith Patterson, then 43, on the internet and moved from New Zealand to Toowoomba, Queensland, to be with her.
One day after the 34-year-old died, Ms Patterson successfully applied to the Supreme Court to have his sperm removed so she could try for a child through IVF.
Tony Deane, 34, died of suspected suicide in Queensland in April 2016 six months after he met girlfriend Leith Patterson, then 43, on the internet and moved to Toowoomba, Queensland, to be with her (pictured together)
Mr Deane’s parents launched a renewed plea this month to have their son’s semen destroyed because ‘Tony would not have wanted a child brought into this world if he could not be there to raise it’.
His mother Gaye Deane set up a Givealittle fundraising page this month ‘to help fight the case in court’.
‘It’s our family’s belief Tony’s testes were removed because of an unfair ruling, unjustly and without consideration for his wishes,’ Ms Deane said.
She said the family would fight any action that would see her son’s sperm be used to impregnate Ms Patterson.
‘For closure for us we want it destroyed, it’s probably the only way we will get closure,’ she said.
Parents of Tony Deane (centre, mum Gaye left, dad right) are devastated a court ruled his fiancée could have his testes removed after he died so she could have his child
Ms Patteson successfully applied to the Supreme Court to have his sperm removed from his testes, but a lawyer for Mr Deane’s (pictured with relative) parents said they will oppose the decision
Mr Deane’s New Zealand family flew his body back home to Waikato on the upper North Island, in May last year and said they were given an ultimatum at the time.
Ms Deane said the family did not contest the decision to remove his testes in exchange for his body to be released back home to New Zealand.
Patterson’s Australian lawyer David Riwoe said ‘I have been instructed that if consent for the removal of sperm is given (for the sole purpose of our client’s IVF treatment) our client will not oppose any request to return Tony’s body to New Zealand’.
The family felt it had no choice but to agree.
Mr Deane’s devastated parents did not know Ms Patterson became their son’s next-of-kin within just six months of meeting him.
Ms Deane said the family did not contest the decision to remove Tony’s (pictured) testes in exchange for his body to be released and taken home to New Zealand
The family was also in the dark about the serious nature of the pair’s relationship.
Within just six months of meeting, the pair reportedly became engaged and started trying for a child.
While Ms Patterson successfully applied to have her late fiance’s testes removed and stored, she will need to apply again to use the semen.
Her lawyer told Stuff she ‘may file the next application within the next twelve months’.