Scientology Policy Keeps Lori Hodgson, San Jose Mom, from Visiting Son in Hospital

Categories: WTF?
lorihodgson.jpg
Lori Hodgson, ex-Scientologist, with her kids before they "disconnected" from her.
Our sister paper, the Village Voice, posted a disturbing piece today from the frontline of a Scientology scandal. Lori Hodgson, a South Bay mother who recently defected from the Church of Scientology, has been living a nightmare scenario since her 18-year-old son, Jeremy Leake, was rushed to the hospital after a serious motorcycle accident. 

Hodgson's family -- her husband, daughter, and son, who are all still members of the church --  said in February that they no longer would have anything to do with her since she defected. Yesterday, they would not let Hodgson visit Jeremy in the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose because of Scientology's "disconnection" policy, described in the Voice:

Scientology's notorious policy of "disconnection" forces families to split apart when one member has been declared a "suppressive person" -- Scientology's version of excommunication. Refusing to shun an "SP" is itself considered a "suppressive" act, and so for Jessica [Hodgson's daughter] and Jeremy, they would have faced the prospect of being kicked out of the organization if they didn't cut off all ties to their own mother.

Jeremy refused to let his mother into the hospital room to see him, and hospital staff told Hodgson that since he is 18, he could decide who gets to visit him or not. This morning Hodgson planned to go back to the hospital while Jeremy has surgery, though she didn't hope to see him. 

Read the Voice's full story on this.

Follow us on Twitter at @SFWeekly and @TheSnitchSF 

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