Birth mother of brain-injured girl sues state to visit daughter

The biological mother of a girl police say suffered severe brain injuries inflicted by her adoptive parents has sued the state Department of Social Services seeking to visit her daughter in the hospital, to have the state share documentation regarding the girl's care and adoption, and to get $12.5 million in damages.

The suit was filed yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court, one year to the day that Haleigh Poutre, then 11, was admitted to a hospital with a severe head injury. She had been the focus of a right-to-die case last year before she showed improvement and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital.

Allison Avrett had been allowed to visit her daughter in a Boston rehabilitation hospital until last month, when her lawyer said the state canceled the visits.

The state said at the time that the visits were postponed indefinitely, not canceled.

Associated Press