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Baby protest draws small crowd at Pennsylvania Hospital

Chanting "free Baby Dillen," seven people stood in front of Pennsylvania Hospital on Friday morning to protest its decision to treat newborn Dillen Whitest for morphine withdrawal against the wishes of his mother Jade Nelson.

Chanting "free Baby Dillen," seven people stood in front of Pennsylvania Hospital on Friday morning to protest its decision to treat newborn Dillen Whitest for morphine withdrawal against the wishes of his mother Jade Nelson.

The baby was born with morphine in his system because Nelson, 22, of North Philadelphia, takes prescription morphine for pain caused by sickle cell anemia. Hospital officials say the baby, born Dec. 27, needed to be given and then gradually weaned from morphine to relieve withdrawal symptoms, a contention the family disputes.

Nelson's aunt, Salima Cunningham, led the protest, declaring, "Such arrogant mistreatment has no place in a hospital."

The baby may go home as soon as today, according to hospital officials. - Marie McCullough