Who is Justina Pelletier and where is she now? Whereabouts explored ahead of Peacock's The Battle for Justina Pelletier premiere

Peacock is all set to premiere its latest docu-series, The Battle for Justina Pelletier, on December 13, 2022, focusing on the real-life case of Justina Pelletier, whose parents were accused of Munchausen by proxy by the Boston Children's Hospital, leading to a complex case involving custody and lawsuits. As it turns out, Pelletier had a rare genetic disorder, mitochondrial disease. But Boston Children's Hospital suspected something entirely different, sending this rather straightforward case into a frenzy of confusion.

When the Pelletiers took their 14-year-old daughter to the hospital after she suffered from severe dehydration and a stomach ache, the hospital figured out something entirely different. Four days after this, the hospital took Justina Pelletier away with the help of the relevant authorities and accused her parents of medical child abuse.

Years later, Justina is still reeling from the legal and medical battle that saw her spend nearly an entire year in the psychiatric ward. Now 23, Justina is doing better than ever. Still residing in Boston, Justina has undergone many treatments for her mitochondrial disease, and has now claimed improvements in arts and other extracurricular activities through regular therapies.

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What happened to Justina Pelletier?

Justina Pelletier was 14 when her parents first took her to Boston Children's Hospital for a checkup due to heavy dehydration and a stomach ache. A couple of years before this, the Tufts Medical Center in Boston diagnosed her with mitochondrial disease after her parents took her there for fatigue and stomach aches. She was on a heavy amount of medication since her diagnosis at Tufts.

At Boston Children's Hospital, doctors determined that Justina was not suffering from any physical ailments. They even claimed that it was a case of Munchausen by proxy, a scenario where the parent or caregiver induces or causes false syndromes. The hospital also raised claims of child abuse against the Pelletiers.

On Valentine's Day the same year, the hospital, along with help from relevant authorities, took Justina into the state's custody and put her in their psychiatric ward, where she remained for the next 10 months. This started a legal battle that ended with the Pelletiers suing the hospital in 2016.

Dr. Collen Ryan, one of the main doctors on Justina's case, recalled:

"We had Justina’s best interests in mind, and we knew if there was less focus on negative aspects of her health and more on her positive experiences, then that would be beneficial to her health."

After a court order, Justina was released from the hospital. Justina does not have fond memories of the place. During her time there, she was not allowed to spend much time with her parents or interact with them. She recalled during the lawsuit:

"I was able to talk to them for a little bit but someone was listening. If [my parents] said something about how I was feeling, they would stop it. Hang up...It was really hard to be away from my family."

In February 2020, the court found the hospital not guilty of medical negligence.

The upcoming Peacock docuseries, The Battle for Justina Pelletier, will cover all aspects of this case in detail.