Anger over TV report on cancer girl
The father of Tamar Stitt, who died after her parents refused her chemotherapy treatment, has expressed his anger over a TV report by Rahni Sadler about his family.
Tamar died from liver cancer in November 2009, two months after her parents took her to El Salvador in defiance of doctors in Perth, who said the girl would almost certainly die without the treatment.
WA health authorities had attempted to have a court order chemotherapy for Tamar, but her mother Arely took her to South America on the eve of the scheduled court hearing.
An inquest is being held to probe how Tamar died, and whether the chemotherapy could have saved her.
And as part of the inquiry Ms Sadler, who compiled a story on the Stitts in the weeks before Tamar died, has given evidence - including questions from an angry Trevor Stitt.
He told the court he felt the story that aired on the Sunday Night program was unjust, and edited to make the family's decisions looked bad.
He said the way the story was edited was "damning evidence against me".
Ms Sadler defended the program.
"I believe it was an absolutely fair representation of my time with the Stitts," Ms Sadler said.
"I think I presented both sides of the story."
Ms Sadler said she had been so concerned when she left El Salvador that through an interpreter, she tried to receive updates on Tamar's condition.
But a relative at the house where Tamar was staying, and a neighbour, relayed that Tamar was still receiving treatment, two months after she had in fact died.
The inquest continues.
