Police Take Teen with Cancer into Custody After Mother Forces Her to Skip Treatment

The Las Vegas Police Department took thirteen-year-old Kylee Dixon into protective custody on Thursday, June 13th. Dixon has been battling cancer and, with the help of her mother, Christina Dixon, traveled from Oregon to Las Vegas, NV after skipping a crucial cancer surgery.

Christina Dixon ignored a court order that her daughter be placed in the care of Oregon’s Department of Human Services, choosing instead to treat her daughter’s cancer with CBD and other holistic treatment methods. Now that Kaylee is under protective custody, she may finally undergo surgery and finish her cancer treatment as advised by her doctors.

Learn more about this unique story and why Christina Dixon decided to skip her daughter’s treatment and go on the run with her daughter.

Treating Kaylee’s Cancer

Kaylee Dixon has been battling cancer for some time. She received chemotherapy for six months, but she didn’t see much progress, according to Erin Purchase, a friend of the family. Purchase helped Christina and her daughter connect with local doctors and healthcare providers to compare different treatment options. After Kaylee tried chemotherapy, Christina decided to pursue alternative treatment methods and took her daughter to a naturopathic physician. Christina gave her daughter CBD and she started feeling better. As Purchase comments, “Instantly she just started getting better, so her mom and Kylee, they were just happy.”

But Kaylee’s doctors still recommended surgery, so they could remove the remaining portion of the tumor in Kaylee’s liver. But her mother wanted a second opinion. Christina took her daughter to another doctor, but she couldn’t get a definitive answer in terms of Kaylee’s chances of surviving the surgery. Continuing with alternative treatment methods, Christina took Kaylee on the road, forcing her daughter to skip the surgery, which had been originally scheduled for June 6th.

Running from Medical Treatment (and the Authorities)

When Kaylee missed her surgery, a judge issued a court order for Kaylee to be placed under the care of Oregon’s Department of Human Services. Christina Dixon appears to have intentionally ignored the court order, traveling all the way from the Oregon coast to Las Vegas. It remains unclear how Christina and her daughter made the trip or whether Kaylee received any form of treatment along the way.

Working with the FBI, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Christina and her daughter were headed for Las Vegas and alerted the Las Vegas Police Department. Just before 8 AM on Thursday morning, Las Vegas authorities went to the Longhorn Casino and Hotel where they took Kaylee into protective custody. They neglected to take Christina into custody, although an official investigation into Christina is underway.

Public Information Officer Sgt. Marcus Mendoza for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office announced, “I do know that they contacted the mother, Christina. Spoke with her. At this point, this is under investigation. Our investigators are looking at the totality of the circumstances, compiling the evidence from this case, and when they finish, they will forward the information to the DA’s office to make a determination.”

Advocates for the family posted online that Kaylee flew back to Oregon where she will remain in protective custody under Oregon’s Department of Human Services. Christy Sinatra, a representative for DHS said in a statement, “We are thankful the child was found safe. DHS takes the safety and well-being of children very seriously. DHS is obligated to comply with court orders and any actions DHS may take in regard to this child will be focused on the child’s safety and well-being.”

Regarding the child’s current condition and whether she will receive the delayed surgery, Sinatra continued, “While we appreciate the help of the media and public in locating this child, we are not able to share any additional information about the family beyond the details law enforcement provided.”

As a way of defending her actions, Christina Dixon released a plea statement, writing, “I’ve always been a strong soul, independent and self-sufficient, so this is extremely hard for me to even do. It’s taken me months to write this and the only reason I am is because I’m cornered and have been threatened by my daughter, by DHS and the Evil Doctor that’s pissed off that my Daughter didn’t die!!!”

Christina Dixon’s mental state and her reasons for leaving the state of Oregon with her daughter remain unknown. Depending on the evidence and circumstances of the case, Christina Dixon may face charges for ignoring the court order.

While every parent should have a say when treating their children, refusing medical care can be a dangerous decision that often puts the child at risk. Hopefully, Kaylee Dixon will soon receive the treatment she needs to beat her cancer.