Judge rules 3-year-old must receive chemotherapy against parents' wishes

FLORIDA (WITI) -- A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that a 3-year-old diagnosed with leukemia must continue chemotherapy treatment against the wishes of his parents.

Noah McAdams, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in April, was ordered by a Hillsborough County judge to complete at least the first phase of a prescribed chemotherapy treatment.

His parents, Taylor Bland and Joshua McAdams, had asked the court to allow them to forgo chemotherapy, in favor of alternative treatments, including medicinal cannabis, vitamins and diet, according to CNN affiliate WFLA.

The judge's ruling says the parents are free to pursue other alternatives while Noah continues with treatment.

Noah has two more chemotherapy sessions as a part of the first phase of his treatment, which is expected to resume Thursday, according to family attorney Mike Minardi.

He was originally prescribed three phases of chemotherapy treatment. The judge will decide whether Noah must continue with the next two phases of treatment after bone marrow testing is completed. The full chemotherapy treatment plan would last more than three years, Minardi said.

“We're just happy the child gets to use alternative treatment, at a minimum to combat side effects of chemotherapy and at a maximum help cure the leukemia in his body,” Minardi told CNN.

The next court dates are June 4 and 5.

Parents had lost custody

The ruling also granted Bland and McAdams unsupervised visitation with their son, who was removed from their custody on April 30.

The parents did not bring Noah to the hospital for a scheduled treatment on April 22, and a hospital social worker notified Hillsborough Child Protective Investigations Division, which requested that police perform a welfare check. Noah was located at his grandmother's house and officers spoke with Bland on the phone.