Octuplets' mother receives public assistance [UPDATED]

Nadya Suleman, the woman who gave birth to octuplets last month, is receiving $490 a month in food stamps, and three of her first six children are disabled and receiving federal assistance, her publicist confirmed to The Times.

Publicist Michael Furtney confirmed the information after two sources told The Times that Suleman was receiving food stamps and federal supplemental security income.

Suleman had told NBC News correspondent Ann Curry in an interview that she was not receiving welfare. Furtney said Suleman didn't consider the food stamps and SSI to be welfare.

“In Nadya’s view, the money that she gets from the food stamp program ... and the resources disabilities payments she gets for her three children are not welfare," he said. "They are part of programs designed to help people with need, and she does not see that as welfare."

Furtney declined to say what kinds of disabilities the three children have. Nadya Suleman told NBC that she was struggling financially to support her six children before the birth of her octuplets, but that she knows she will be able to support them, especially after she earns her master’s degree in counseling.

"I will feed them," Suleman said in the interview, responding to criticism that she would have difficulty providing emotional and financial support for them. "I will do the best I possibly can. In my own way, in my own faith, I do believe wholeheartedly that God will provide in his own way."

[Updated:

--Jessica Garrison and Garrett Therolf

Photo credit: NBC

Octuplets' mom identifies her fertility clinic in Beverly Hills

Chris Brown's chewing gum ads put on hold amid assault probe

Actor Faizon Love charged in assault

Witness may be key in Chris Brown case

Comments

[KSnative]

This is fraud! In her tv interview, you can see her newly sculptured set of acrylic nails...for her to be spending money on frivolous things such as this, while taking government assistance, is fraudulent. Child services, please investigate! Thank you, LA TImes for reporting the truth to this story.

[Ruby Jackson]

Big surprise.

[Call me Cassandra]

Is there anyone on the planet who didn't see this coming? And anyone who is surprised that this woman doesn't consider food stamps welfare?

[ceesee]

This is so sad. I feel terrible for all 14 chidren. They were unlucky enough to receive a parent far more interested in feeding her own emptiness than offering something substantial to them so they grow up healthy and well-adjusted. And, she has no qualms about her own parents and the rest of us taking care of all 15. How she would provide for the kids emotionally and financially was clearly an after-thought.

Most important to Ms. Suleman is taking care of her own immediate need to feel loved and less alone. She open critizes her parents parenting yet lives with them and takes from them daily.

And the audacity of this woman to go take TV cameras to these young faces while they are recuperating in the hopes of capitalizing on this situation is the height of crass. This is truly the sign of the times. Everything is wide open for public consumption and everything has a price tag.

Some day famous and infamous parents are going to eat their words when their own children are old enough to Google themselves and realize they were the subject of public ridicule, criticism and judgement.

[Marie]

Blah, Blah Blah..who the devil cares anymore! when one of the kids ever gets lost in the grocery store she wont' even notice she has so many! one less won't make a difference ...and by the way the next time I go to Kaiser.. I'll tell them Nadya's paying my bill! lip injections and all.

[Tie Her Tubes]

The clinic who performed her IVF should be responsible for any financial assistance she gets. She is a good example of abuses in health care costs.

[Maxwell]

Oh hell no. I'm not going to help this crazy woman feed her kids when I have trouble feeding my own. I would love to have more kids, but dont because I CANT AFFORD IT. Its not fair to expect other people to help raise and feed your offspring.

[nathan]

Okay, I don't get her mother's comments now. Angela Sulemon has done a bunch of interviews saying that her daughter hasn't supported the children and the grandmother didn't even know about the workman's comp payments. Well. what about all this welfare money? Certainly the grandmother must have noticed $490 worth of food stamps. Why not mention that the tax payers are helping feed this family.

[Lilly]

For your informaion, those three kids that are receiving SSI are also receiving Medi-Cal. The gov't pays more money for medical bills than in Food Stamps or Cash Assistance. I would't be surprise if those three kids are also receiving In-home Supportive Services and Nadia is the provider which means she is getting paid for taking her of her disabled children. This is so sad because she doesn't have her kids' best interest at heart. What's wrong with society.

[Angie]

I DONT AGREE WITH PEOPLE SAYING THEY WISH FOR THE KIDS TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR MOTHER BUT IF YOU CANNOT PROVIDE FOR THEM AND ARE LIVING OF OFF WELFARE THEN IT WILL BE IN THE BEST FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO BE PLACED IN A HOME WHERE EVERYTHING THEY NEED WILL BE PROVIDED TO THEM... DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT $490 A MONTH IS ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR 14 BABIES... BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BABIES I MEAN I JUST HOPE THAT YOU DONT ALSO GO APPLY FOR THE WIC PROGRAM THESE PROGRAM ARE DESIGN FOR PEOPLE WITH REAL NEEDS BUT YOU ARE NOT CONSIDER A PERSON THAT NEEDS THESE THINGS... WHY BECAUSE YOU PUT YOURSELF THRU THIS TREATMENT AND YOU DECLINED TO REMOVE SOME EMBRYOS SO YOU WOULDNT HAVE SO MANY BABIES "8" ALL AT ONCE!!! I AGREED WITH YOU WHEN YOU SAID YOU DID NOT RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF WELFARE OR GOVERNMENT AID BECAUSE I DIDNT BELIEVE YOU WERE ASKING FOR NOBODY ELSES MONEY BUT NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ON WELFARE THAT IS NOT GOOD WHY WOULD YOU KEEP ON HAVING KIDS IF YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT SUPPORT THEM! NOW THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! REMEMBER IT IS ALSO ONLY TEMPORARY, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN THIS AID IS STOPPED AND YOU WILL HAVE TO SUPPORT YOUR KIDS ALL ON YOUR OWN ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOUR PARENTS TO DIE ON FRUSTRATION BECAUSE THEY ARE TO OLD TO HANDLE ALL THIS PRESSURE YOU ARE BRINGING TO THEM... AND MAYBE THEN YOU WILL INHERIT SOMETHING FROM THEM... ARE YOU PLANNING ON ALWAYS LIVING OFF OF OTHER PEOPLE?

[Emma Goldman]

This woman should have all of her children taken away from her by the state. Anyone who knows the family and the exact street address where they live needs to call child protective services and file a complaint. She is obviously a pathological liar and a dangerous caretaker for fourteen children, at least three of them who are disabled.

[Andrew]

This woman needs a reality check. Firstly, what does she consider "welfare" if she doesn't think that SSI and Food Stamps are welfare? Also, assuming that she gets her master's degree in couseling and gets a Marriage & Family Therapist license from the State of California, the average annual salary for someone with that license is $45K to $55K. Not sure how she works the math, but certainly that is no where near enough to support the 14 children she now has living in the Los Angeles area. And if these kids have special needs, as they most certainly will, she is way in the hole. The physician who agreed to this should have their license revoked. That physician implanted a clearly unstable woman with more eggs than she could support.

[Mayu]

what a freakin liar.

She claims she doesn't accept welfare and refuses to even consider it, yet she is on food stamps and SSI.

She decides to have 8 new born babies when a few of her 2 of her six children are disabled, and she claims to be disabled herself.

Her doctor should have his lisence revoked for allowing her to have this procedure if he truly did know she already had 6 kids, 2 of them disabled, was disabled herself, getting welfare, with no job prospect...

and she should have those kids removed from her since the ONLY reason she had those kids is for selfish reasons, which is abusive. It's not about the kids. Every word out of her mouth is me me me me me.

"I was lonely."
"I was an only child and it made ME sad."
"I want Oprah to pay me 2 million to interview me."
"I want my own TV show where I can be an expert on raising kids."
"I wanted to use all the embryos because these are MY kids." (So much for the thousands of women who have jobs AND husbands that could have used donated eggs so they could have a child.)

It's I, I, I, I, I, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me.

NOTHING she says is about her kids, or her children's welfare, or how she's going to care for these kids with no job, no husband, no boyfriend, no child support...

she's a selfish person and SHAME on the media outlets who've paid her for interviews to feed into her disgusting behavior.

[Elizabeth]

Food stamps and SSI. That figures. Did anyone notice her manicured nails as she showed off those poor babies? Her parents need to kick her sorry behind out of that house and let her start paying bills like the rest of us, especially after she's broadcast her "dysfunctional childhood" all over the place. I just want to smack the daylights out of her.

[FauxMaven]

The only public assistance Nadya Suleman should get is irreversible sterilization and her children removed from her "care".

[mike]

I feel sick now and it's only going to get worse!

[Ann]

Good god, what planet is this chick on? She's not in denial, she's just a liar with mental problems. Three of her first six children are disabled? Then she decides to have EIGHT more! Who knows how many of them will be disabled? She doesn't really love children; she's a narcissist who only loves herself.

[Skippy Jiff]

Take the kids and remove this womens reproductive organs.

[CS]

Seriously!!! She doesn't think food stamps and SSI is welfare??? She in school getting a master? Really?? Someone need to give her a dictionary first and explain to her what is welfare because food stamps is a type of welfare, which is supported by a federal entity, i.e. USDA. I'm guessing she is also getting medical for her children, especially the three that are disable, which I don't mind because kids are kids and shouldn't be held responsible for their parents actions.

Oh and she have eight more kids after three of her six kids is having problems already.

ITS ALL JUST MESS UP. To the taxpayers and to the children that she have. GOSH!!!!!!!! CAN'T FREAKIN BELIEVE IT.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/welfare

[Vicki]

She doesn't define food stamps and SSI as welfare. That reminds me of the Bill Clinton statment about the definition of the word "is". Food stamps and SSI are taxpayer dollars for which she does not work, That is defined as welfare in my opinion and I daresay in the opinions of many in this country who are tired of raising our families plus those who sit on their rears and expect to be rescued. She should have to get up every day and get to work on time, and work 10 hour days like I do before she gets a dime from my taxes.

[JG]

This just keeps getting better and better. Please tell me that Social Services will soon be knocking on her door. All of her children need to be taken away and she should be sent to the nearest jail for child abuse. The system and tax payers are already footing the bill, at least something positive should come from it.

[ballrmom]

okay, i wondered if this woman was mentally stable, it seems that she really isn't. who is going to take care of her disabled children while she tries to juggle the care of six infants? She doesn't think her income and food stamps are welfare? the quack doctor needs to be investigated and jailed!

[Alan]

This makes me sick. "God" is providing via the socialist policies of what used to be a free country. I'd almost be willing to cut a deal with her and give her public assistance if she'd agree to steralization.

[Susan]

Who in the world would take counseling advice from this woman? She's clearly disturbed. I doubt she'll be making much of a living at anything.

[Ricardo]

Of course it's not "welfare." Welfare is only for people that don't have a publicist to to the spinning for them.

[hahaahah]

Her publicist trying to cover up the lie is hilarious.

“In Nadya’s view, the money that she gets from the food stamp program ... and the resources disabilities payments she gets for her three children are not welfare. They are part of programs designed to help people with need, and she does not see that as welfare."

So if welfare isn't designed to help people with need, then what is it? Money for the rich? What a blatant lie by the publicist too.

[SS]

I think it's time for our country to really have the discussion about responsible family planning. How selfish is it of this woman to want to have as many children as she wants, while both putting taxpayers on the hook to help sustain her choice and diminishing the quality of life her children could enjoy? Given the state of our economy -- brought to its knees by a narcissistic, I-can-have-whatever-I-want mentality -- I think such a discussion would be wholly appropriate.

[Frieda O]

What else has she been lying about?

[Sarah]

This woman is clearly mentally ill and on top of that, a liar and a thief.

Get those children out of there.

[turkey]

well maxwell, you and i are paying to feed these kids whether we like it or not. Bad as it may sound, maybe she does need a Jon and 8 plus Kate TV show so that she can earn a living....and not depend on taxpayers. did the drs. not know she was mentally unstable when they did this. What a crime and a shame for the kids.

[hahaahah]

Her publicist trying to cover up the lie is hilarious.

“In Nadya’s view, the money that she gets from the food stamp program ... and the resources disabilities payments she gets for her three children are not welfare. They are part of programs designed to help people with need, and she does not see that as welfare."

So if welfare isn't designed to help people with need, then what is it? Money for the rich? What a blatant lie by the publicist.

[isis]

Nadya seems intent on making her mother pay for raising her as an only child. At least the children won't inherit Nadya's plastic lips.

[KV]

this woman -and this situation-is SUCH a disaster, it;s almost like the powers that be hired her to distract us from the REAL issues in the world!

[John McKenzie]

The doctor who performed the procedure for fame should be responsible for caring the children until they are 18 years old. This doctor will make millions of dollars in the near future and so he must pay for them.

[Mary Ann]

And federal Law states if babies are born under a certain weight they qualify for SSI payments until they are re evaluated. It goes by parent income of which she has none . So now the system can pay SSI for almost all the kids and more for food stamps.

[Lola Cornwell]

Clearly the focus should be PROSECUTING or taking the medical license of the horrendous doctor(s) that implanted 8 embryos into the uterus of an unemployed, welfare recipient with ZERO means to care for the most basic needs of these children. Should we have laws to stop unethical doctors from engaging in this type of activity. And, there should be some legal means to deal with this SICK, SICK and right down mean woman who has may have used tax payer money to pay for physical enhancement surgeries for her while her elderly mother went bankrupt on taking care of SIX other kids. Her mother was quoted as saying she and her husband had financially taken care of the six kids and did not know this woman was getting state money. AN INVESTIGATION DOES need to take place. Where is the Attorney General?
What a bad mother, this must be neglect per se under the law to the existing six and the new 8 kids! Having no job, six kids already living with ma it is totally forseeable that the six kids would suffer deprivation of basic needs and lack of appropriate care and that not having a job, nor financial resources saved up she would not be able to take care of 8 more children. Can the attorney general take the medical license of the doctor and yest take these 14 kids away from this awful human being and put them in caring homes with more resources. This is all manufactured by sick people with access to advanced medical technologies!

[Dave]

How is this mother going to be able to get a masters degree? When will she have time to even study for a masters? Is she mentally together?

[Working Retired]

Actually, there is a positive side to this.

Let's start the initiative for "Nadya's Law"...decreasing welfare for each child born after applying for aid...Three strikes & you're out !

[Collins]

Does her publicist get 10% of the $490 per month?

[JG]

A more important question... What's with the Angelina Jolie wanna be looks?

[James Wilson]

This lady is a monster in wolves clothing. She needs to be locked up in an institution and the key thrown away. Her kids need to be put up for adoption as soon as possible. Her "welfare" that she said she didn't know anything about should be taken away. If she is that stupid to have these kids, then we should not subsidize them. As matter of fact, there should be a law that says you must prove that you can take care of a child before you have one. What an idiot.

[Disgusted]

First of all, Workman's Comp needs to investigate her for fraud. If you have a serious back injury then the last thing you do is go and have 14 kids. Obviously she wasn't in that much pain. If she is able to carry that many babies then she is able enough to go to work. Second, Child Services needs to thoroughly investigate her to see if she is even mentally competent and physically capable of raising these kids. They need to assess the living conditions. You cannot possible crowd 3 adults and 14 kids into a 3 bedroom home. They need to take these babies away from her and adopt them out to real couples that can't have kids. This woman is selfish and is only thinking of dollar signs. She knew exactly what she was doing when she filed for workmans comp. She also knew that it wouldn't last forever so she got pregnant with her first litter. But wait! If I have a crapload more babies then I can be on tv like those other people and get even more money and free stuff too! Maybe even a brand new house and a brand new car!! So what if I can't handle all of them, sheez with all of the money I get I'll just hire a bunch of nannies!

[dicky dickerson]

Does anybody know if the donor has any financial responsibility. someone told me he still has to pay child support. i think this situation is sad all the way around she was better off keepin her big mouth shut

[Herb Michelson]

Her real name is Gutierez so they have changed their name to Suleman not to be stereo typed.

[Jim in Pasadena]

The mom obviously has mental issues, the Beverly Hills doc, not so much. How much more irresponsible, greedy and dangerous could this idiot be? He reportedly implanted 6 embryos, 3 times as many as recommended in a woman he knew could carry, possibly endangering the life of his patient and the fetuses. Some experts say some of these kids will have lifelong health problems and disabilities related to extremely permature birth. She had to fill out all those standard forms, so he knew she was single, her income consisted of disability and welfare, and with the history of 6 prior kids, he probably knew she lived with her parents in a 3 bedroom house.
These procedures are elective, so he had no legal obligation to accede to her wishes just because she could pay his fees, But he went ahead anyway, why? This clown should have his license pulled for malpractice, be billed and sued by the HMO for expenses, and vilified and condemned in the court of public opinion so no doctor would ever again consider doing such an irresponsible thing.

[Tracy]

Actually, She does not need a Jon and Kate plus 8 show. That is what she was hoping for. She needs to learn a hard lesson and have to realize the choice she made. She needs to have to worry about buying diapers,food,clothing etc. It is kind of funny.....She is one to say she will not take "welfare" but I don't see her turning away all the free diapers, clothes, cribs etc that good hearted people and companies are dishing over. I think she did this to make her mark in the TV world. I personally wish they would cancel Jon and Kate plus 8. I could see if they had their children naturally but they also used invetro twice. They live for the perks, freebies, free vacations....all of it. It seems now as if that show is about Kate instead of the kids. Look at Maddy acting out. It is a cry for help. Could it be that Nayda was hoping for the same deal as Jon and Kate got? PROBABLY!!!!! I feel really sorry for her mother. She raises the 6 grand children already. I love the parenting skills of Nayda......she got out of the hospital and instead of picking up her 6 children and sharing the excitement , spending time with her children or cleaning her house.....She ran off to do an interview! WOW to go....Octuplets Mother of the Year Award

[indenvernow]

She is beyond revolting. And the CNN interview was definitely a mistake, if she thought it would help garner some empathy. If anything, you end up disliking her even more.

I thought I heard the CMA was investigating her fertility specialist for ethics abuses (for implanting so many embryos). Wonder what will come of that?

[Bud]

This story just gets better and better...

[Ruby Jackson]

No matter what we all think about this freeloading nutcase, let's remember NOT ONE of those fourteen children ASKED to be brought in to this world. They are not guilty of fleecing the system, they are not guilty of irresponsible behavior. They are all innocents, and we should all take a minute to say a prayer for them. Their life will not be easy because of both circumstance and notoriety. Make sure all our thoughts and comments are directed at the mother, not the children. They had nothing to do with this mess.

[Mary]

The sadest part of all of this is that the news outlets WILL pay her for interviews and likely a reality show as well. She will get exactly what she wants which will lead to other unstable women to follow in her footsteps.
What a sad thing, have babies and take hardworking tax payer's money, lie about it, have eight more children, take even more and then get paid interviews and heavens knows what else.

[yoda]

SHAME ON ANY SCUMMY COMPANY THAT GIVES THIS WOMAN MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR USING HER AND HER SPAWN FOR ADVERTISING OR MAKING MONEY FOR THEMSELVES. WATCH... IT WILL HAPPEN.

[FR]

It will never end. Even if she did get her master's and a job, with 14 kids, she would probably apply for government subsidized child care. She will always need government help.

[Randy]

Hey, I believe either in Japan or China kids are wanted, so, let's send her there. Is God gonna pay the bills if she remains here?

[Andrea]

She has no job, she has probably never worked, which means she probably never paid into taxes. So who does she think is paying for her SSI and foodstamps? TAXPAYERS. If Taxypayers are paying for her food stamps and SSI... THAT'S WELFARE. and she has THREE disabled kids already? Wow, they're going to be well taken care of with 8 new borns in the house who probably also will end up having disabilities. And guess who mom is? Someone who claims to be disabled!! She wants to get a degree to become a counselor when she, herself, needs counseling. Wonderful. I agree with another person who posted tho. this Chick had 6 kids she couldn't care for, she should have donated her eggs to a woman with a job and a husband to help support her, so they can have a kid of their own. My cousin ended up using donated eggs to have her son. She IS a very selfish woman. I fear for those poor kids of hers.

[whatadisaster]

She should be investigated for Workmans Comp fraud. How is she able to afford the publicist? With her food stamp money? She is mentally ill and those kids should be taken away.

[CJKatl]

The doctor must be prosecuted. What he has done violates every medical ethic possible. The doctor who did this must be charged. Any man who could destroy a human's lips the way this woman's lips have been deformed should have his medical license taken away.

Oh, yeah, the in vitro doctor did something bad, too, but not as bad as the lip doctor. The lip doctor is the one that really needs to pay for what he's done.

Who knew that Cali had had welfare that pays for getting gel forced into your lips? How does anyone look at all the people with the ugly, deformed collegan lips and think they want to look like that? What's next? Amputating limbs because you like the look? Collegan lips don't look good on anyone. Period. Any woman thinking of getting them should just grow a mustache, chip some teeth, and spread mayonaisse across her face and hair. It's prettier.

[Anna]

What is very sad to me is how she put the burden of emotionally supporting her children on her parents and now possibly hired caregivers without taking into consideration the emotional needs of the six she already has. Many parents who have a special needs child can attest that just having one child with a disability requires one on one attention to the point that it is a delicate balance of being able to provide emotional support to all of the children in the family, but very often the child with special needs requires a lot of focus and attention and it can become a problem within the family dynamic if the family does not have appropriate emotional coping skills and the ability to recognize when to bring help in to sustain the family unit in the form of counseling or parceling out special one on one outings with each of the kids so nobody feels emotionally left out. That in itself on top of feeding and clothing the kids can overwhelm two parents. This is a single mother trying to fill in a place in her heart that has an emotional hole the size of a mac truck, but she could go have twenty such babies, until she deals with the underlying issues that drive this neediness, her children will have a very difficult time learning how to cope and handle life's situations.

[Disgusted]

I think Nadya's mother knew what her daughter was doing , they were bankrupt and desperate. As for the father, he probably left for Iraq out of embarrassment and will probably never come back..can't blame him.

[Anna]

What is very sad to me is how she put the burden of emotionally supporting her children on her parents and now possibly hired caregivers without taking into consideration the emotional needs of the six she already has. Many parents who have a special needs child can attest that just having one child with a disability requires one on one attention to the point that it is a delicate balance of being able to provide emotional support to all of the children in the family, but very often the child with special needs requires a lot of focus and attention and it can become a problem within the family dynamic if the family does not have appropriate emotional coping skills and the ability to recognize when to bring help in to sustain the family unit in the form of counseling or parceling out special one on one outings with each of the kids so nobody feels emotionally left out. That in itself on top of feeding and clothing the kids can overwhelm two parents. This is a single mother trying to fill in a place in her heart that has an emotional hole the size of a mac truck, but she could go have twenty such babies, until she deals with the underlying issues that drive this neediness, her children will have a very difficult time learning how to cope and handle life's situations.

[Inland Empire]

The kids all need to be taken from her. She is a psychopath. Like Casey Anthony, its all about her.

[Karl Overmann]

It sickens me down to the core that this leech has a publicist. Of all the truly misfortunate people trying to get by - she is milking the system for all it's worth.
Shame on her - !

[let'sgetproactive]

Working Reitired wrote the following message......

Actually, there is a positive side to this.

Let's start the initiative for "Nadya's Law"...decreasing welfare for each child born after applying for aid...Three strikes & you're out !

Posted by: Working Retired | February 09, 2009 at 06:09 PM

I love this idea....what can I do? Who's with us? Where do we start? Instead of continuing to state the many obvious flaws in our system, the doctor's involved and this (and I say this hesitantly) mother...let's get this initiative going.

[cheyenne]

Reading all of your comments gives me HOPE. This world has gone crazy. The "bailout" consciousness. Let the chips fall where they may.
This woman will pimp her kids out for money endorsement. There are companies that will go that low (nestle, walmart and other corporate villains). Dont buy any magazines on the stands about her. Dont feed into the pimping.

[Walking the dog]

Publicist = I'll lie for money, I'll say anything, really, I don't care if its a lie, just tell me what to say, no, I'll just say it for you, I'm sort of like a lawyer, just without the degree. SSI and Food stamps? No, not welfare, what makes you think they are? Really, you just need to get to know her. Really, its the truth, she will be able to take care of them herself, she just wants to finish her schooling. Lets see how long they stay around to change diapers when she doesn't get any money from Oprah (who is too smart to fall into this trap) or anyone else. Just wait for it, Its coming..."Its racist, that's why no one wants to give me any contracts, its just plain racism".

[Jenna]

I've been hearing that the doctor who implanted the embryos may have his license suspended. I don't think that's very good idea. He needs to pay for the babies, all 8 of them. After all he is like their father. He got the woman pregnant. And if Nadya stays on public assistance then I just wonder what the Section 8 will offer her, a Beverly Hills mansion?

[Atl]

Wow! This girl is a piece of work! She goes on television and states she doesn't need or receive public assistance, and that she takes care of her children financially herself. What does she think food stamps are! And to me, she doesn't seem like the elevator goes all the way to the top anyway!! I feel for those children, and also for her parents who she lives with. I believe she thought that the producs, gifts and donations from major companies would flock in, but it hasn't happened. How many children she feels she can have is her business, as long as we don't have to pay for it. And with that many little ones, the marriage proposals will not be coming in! Not unless someone very special comes along.

[YHW]

Okay, I've been defending this woman here and there on discussion boards, but I just can't do it anymore. Not as more and more information comes out.

She is a single mom on welfare with six kids, and she lets her parents support them (food and shelter) while she sometimes buys them toys (with the welfare money). Three have disabilities and she is clearly not spending time giving them the individual attention they need. So then she decides to have more. Egad!

[buz]

This is the end. I am not paying any more income tax if freakish idiots and liars like Nadya can openly play the system with no consequense. Her parents should toss her out of the house.

[pasoponders]

I wonder what the cost was for the proceedure to implant the embryos? Where did the funds come from for this?

[concernedaboutthechildren]

This actually might be a real issue of abuse/ neglect by an unfit parent. Is there nothing the Los Angeles Times can do to facilitate an intervention with social services in Los Angeles county? She can't be insured, which means the taxpayers are also footing the bill for the $2 million in medical bills it's been estimated those babies are going to need before they even get out of the hospital.

Seriously, this is a real concern-- this woman should not be allowed to take those babies home to that filthy house!

[Allison French]

Join me in calling the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services to report child abuse. It is abusive to have children you are not able to care for. Her mother claims, "there are piles of childrens clothes" throughout the house. She can't feed them or cloth them without money from other people, as she has no means of support. Her full name and address are on the internet, so give them a call and get an investigation going.

My tax money should not be going to pay for the welfare of others to this degree.

Anyone else think the doctor helped her do this intentionally to create controversy?

[vixey]

how can she even afford ivf when she can't afford to put a roof over the other six? isn't ivf costly?

[Anthony Zahn]

If she could afford the fertility clinic, she can feed the kids herself.

[Dina]

I am not defending this woman's actions. As a matter of fact she has behaved without judgment and now is affecting the lives of many people, especially those children that now will call her mother. But food stamps is NOT a welfare program. It is a nutrition program managed by the Dept of Agriculture. This program benefits not only its recipients, but also farmers and all manufacturers of food. SSI is a form of welfare, when received by minors, designed to help with the extraordinary expenses of having children with special needs. Thank those in our government who have thought ahead to provide benefits to those who need these benefits.

[Lyn]

This is a Con Artist of the highest order, and the media is giving her the "celebrity" status she craves.

She should be taken to court and the children should be put up for ADOPTION--to decent couples with a CONSCIENCE, who will raise these children with a MORAL EXAMPLE.

Politically correct pampering of Con Artists like this is exactly why funding of healthcare is such a mess!!!!!

[momof2]

It's time we tax payers take a stand in this country before it's too late! Time to say NO MORE! If you only had any idea who gets SSI. Did you know that if you are diagnoses with add or adhd or ocd just to name a few, then you qualify for SSI. My nephew who's parents both abandoned him as an infant and was left with grandma gets SSI for add/adhd. The parents both work and do not pay child support most of the time and the state doesn't bother to go after them for it. This child buys video games and such with this money. It is given to him to buy what he wants. He doesn't really need it! This angers me to no end. This grandmom hasn't worked in over 10 years and got sick months ago and went to welfare who is paying her medical bills from the hospital for her illness. She now even has a medical card! This country is teaching us to be losers and live off the system. If all these people didn't suck up off the system just think how awesome of a retirement our elderly could have? A retirement we could all look forward to having one day. I feel so sorry for the elderly. The entire system needs revamping. This is one reason why we are headed toward an economic catastrophe. Lets pick a day and protest! All of us get out into the streets and protest. I should not have to be forced to pay into a system that doesn't work properly and that I have no say over. Why should I have to give my hard earned money to someone else for a mental disability when I struggle to afford health insurance for my own family? Our country is in trouble!

[adam]

This is exactly why California needs to take a Deep Hard look at itself, this woman is a product of this State, something is fundamentally wrong here, as a society, we have to come to terms with this, will this sort of behavior be tolerated or not ?

[Kate]

1/2 of the previously implanted embryos were born with PERMANENT and SEVERE disablities (that is the standard for SSI.)

Further, to get SSI for her off-spring her income had to below - far far below - federal poverty level for a household of her size.

Poverty level for 1 person is $10,830. SSI is $695. If a person qualifies for SSI and has any income, $1 of SSI is deducted for $1 in income. If the household income goes above

She ahad 6 kids and herself for a household of 7. That means she could NOT have an income of over $4865 per month. Federal Poverty Level of 7 people is $2772.5

Further, if the kids recieve SSI, they WILL BE ON MEDICAID.

SInce SSI eligiblity IS based upon household income and assets, IT IS WELFARE!!

Food Stamps are based upon income. It IS WELFARE!

BTW, since 1/2 of the prior progeny had permanent disabilities at birth, the odds are that at least 4 of the 8 also were born with permanent disablities. Premature multiple births have a permanent health impairment rate of over 80%.

COngratulations. She has very likely produced around 9 kids wth permanent disabiities and impariments, and likely 7 of them will be on SSI, Food Stamps and Medicaid FOR LIFE!

I put more thought into breeding a dog than this fool put into breeding herself!

The children need to be removed from her care. One reporter got into the 3 bedroom house and took pictures. It is a pigsty.

[Violet Beauregard]

Does anyone see the pattern here? She faked her own "disability" to continue receiving workers' compensation $$ and now it comes out that 3 of her already 6 children are "disabled". I can't think of anyone in their right mind who wouldn't question the validity of her claims about her children's "disability" now, much less her own. We need to stop the doctors who are giving false creedence to their stories and get valid independent opinions on the medical/mental condition of the lot of them before another taxpayer dime is given to this woman! This is not free money people!!!

[drew]

I am conflicted.

First, I want to punch the collagen out of those lips...

...and then I begin to wonder how many Nadya bobbleheads I could sell on HSN to benefit her trainwreck of a family-to-be...

[lhm]

well! taxpayers like us will end up to pay the medical bill for her Octuplets (CCS Agency I guess!!!!) and she 's a big time liar.... food stamp and SSI are welfare too lady!!!!

[Jenna]

Let's not forget that she would also need a double-decker to transport her children. I believe that if the state will require to help her, the state should also take the children away from her. There is no way she can provide enough attention to all of her children. The babies would be much better off living with normal families not their selfish mother.

[popster]

Let's start by reformulating the income tax deduction system. For children born after January 1 2010:

One child: deduction
Two children: no deduction for either child
Theee and higher: EXTRA TAXES, like $1000 each (a small fraction of the cost to society for education and other social services)

I am tired of supporting these parasites. If you want babies, YOU pay for them.

[Rocky]

I resent the gentlmen who posted that her name was Gutierrez. You are obviously a racist. The point is that this woman is mentally unstable and no matter what her ethncity, she needs help. CPS in California needs to take those children away, Workman's comp needs to investigate and make her pay back for underserving disability payments. I am like thousands others on disability and I had to jump through hoops and endless medical reports from reputable doctors and still I was denied. I felt like I had gone through a ring of fire just to be told no on benefits. Of course this is Texas where we abide by many more laws that are not beneficial to average citizens. Send her to Texas and see if she qualifies for assistance. Please, Please take those children away from her and her parents who obviously did a bad job raising her. How much more good are they for those poor grandchildren. Grandparents are just that grandparents NOT PARENTS! This woman needs to get her bible verses correct, yes God will provide we all know this, but he also says, GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES and doesn't leave it up to WELFARE! I pray that she get psychological help and not give it.

[356man]

She used to work in a mental hospital, now it's time to go on the other side of the fence and be put in one...

[Michele]

I'm curious to see what liability the physician has in all of this. Clearly, this woman's need for multiple IVF procedures indicated there were emotional issues. Was this just a cash and carry scam--he felt no responsibility for his actions beyond collecting his fee? She's unstable, but he is supposed to be acting like a trained professional. I just hope he doesn't wiggle out of some consequences here. It was certainly unethical, definitely immoral and if it was not illegal, it should be.

[getreal]

Hey, "Working Retired" and "let's get proactive," I'm for Nadya's Law too.

Pasoponders -- Another article I read said in vitro costs $8,000 to $15,000 per procedure.

So, Nadya Suleman, your game is up. Now, it's personal. I'm not a Californian, but since we now know some of your kids get SSI, MY federal taxes help support your kids, too. You are a master manipulator--continue to have children while on welfare, refuse to marry because you can get more welfare as a single parent, probably feigned your back injury at work to get worker's compensation. Yet you spend, spend, spend on yourself. You are a lazy, self-absorbed piece of crap. May the fraud police get you. I read the news, and yes, your sham life is news, but I would never watch any TV show you're on, nor read any book you might write. Now that your name is mud, no one in their right mind would use you as a counselor. With each sordid detail of your life that leaks out, you lose another of the few supporters you have left. Grow up, get a job and support your brood.

[Susan]

Premeditated child neglect.

[Kim]

I am so sick of this delusional woman. Please stop giving her the attention she so desperately wants. Ugh.

[Dee]

She lives in a 3 bedroom house with her parents and 14 kids... 3 kids are disabled, they say some of the newborns will probably have disabilities, she is disabled (she claims), she is on welfare, she has ADMITTED she is having a hard financial time taking vare of the 6 kids she already had, she has no job, she has no child support forthcoming, her mom just admitted she barely has anything to do with the first 6 kids, as her mom has been taking care of them in her place...

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO STILL DEFEND HER ACTIONS!!!

There are a lot of crazies out there. Let THEM pay for her stupidity.

[db]

One of the most egregious cases of milking the system ever seen. This woman is sick- pathologically self-absorbed; from the lips to the nails to every cell in her pathetic manipulative body. I will NOT purchase any consumer brands that sponsor her, nor watch any interview in which she is paid to promote her sick and slick choices.

[MCC]

Does she use "food stamps" to pay for all the Botox she had injected into her lips? I am so sick of seeing/reading about this chick. I hope the media stops giving her coverage, because that's exactly what she wants, for the media to notice her, and then some tv show/movie/book deal offers to get thrown her way. Disgusting. I feel so sad for all her children.

[Joy]

What is this world coming to, My husband and I have to feed and support our kids..We dont rely on foodstamps or public assistance. I think people the go on welfare should be screened a little better, there are people that really need it that dont get it. I was on the food store the other day buying food with my husbands honestly earned money and there was a "needy" person in front of me with 3 carriages full of junk food and 5 kids running around like animals she had a cell phone, her hair was done she had nice clothes on with heals and her nails were done..Her "boyfriend"??? Was on a cell phone with talkin to his bro how he was getting his NEW car that night. And how it was a steel at 10 grand for the year. Come on...This is what I see and it makes me sick..Oh and the food bill was $700.00 all she did was swipe that pretty little gold EBT card and it was all paid for...No wonder us WORKING americans have no money they take all our taxes for them.

[vineyard]

I don't know why you people are griping and complaining about her so much, she's no different than 99% of the welfare queens out there. The only difference between her and the other ones is that she had 8 at once, the other welfare moms have their 8, 10, 14 over a series of years. The welfare paycheck comes out the same and I would bet that a lot of people posting here complaining about octomom are the same people that have been enabling this "compassionate" welfare system for years. Voters, YOU allow this to go on. No one is responsible for this but YOU. Everyone likes to chime in about "reproductive freedom" but when "reproductive freedom" is on the taxpayer dollar, shouldn't the taxpayer be able to tell these mothers, all of them, including Octomom, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, accept birth control while you collect welfare for your kids, or no one gets anything!

[Catlanta]

She doesn't need a TV show to earn a living. She has her children. She already has 3 children on disability and now the eight newborns will likely qualify as well. She'll have up to 11 children recieving monthy SSI checks!!!!

That's OUR tax money. So are the food stamps.

Once all this assistance is made public, there will be an outcry. That's not fair to the hard working people who need and deserve temporary assistance, like food stamps, and those that are, through no fault of their own, disabled. The children here are innocent but the mom *knew* that some, and possibly all, the octuplets would be born with disabilities. So did the fertility clinic. That's why ethical clinics will not transfer or implant more than two embryos. The fact that 3 of her 6 other children have disabilities certainly showed a high risk factor, multiplied by the high order multiple pregnancy.

Disgraceful.

[Julie]

Did you see her long fingernails when she was handling the preemies? She could cause her babies serious damage with those. Plus, germs get under the fingernails and can't be removed with a quick swipe of hand sanitizer. You're supposed to trim them way back.

And the way the handled the babies! Preemies are so delicate and she was so rough with them. I can't imagine the nurses weren't wincing in the background. This woman is living in her own little world.

[realist]

I have never posted on a comment page before, but this story is so evil that I feel (as so many others do) that I have to. Every comment on this post is saying the same thing...and I concur. This woman is completely mentally ill and is taking advantage of her parents and our system. These innocent children are the real victims. Take these precious children from this self-centered, selfish woman. Also, the postings about her fake nails and "enhanced lips" are correct. Where did that money come from? Where did the money for in-vitro come from? Get those kids out of there now!!!!

[MARIE]

Now we learn that Octo-mom receives approximately $490 per month in food stamps, yet she does not feel this is "welfare". Well this 33/y/o mother of 14 is sorrowly confused. I wonder if the State of California knows she received her approximately $180K Workers' Compensation payout. They surely do now!
Despite being unemployed, on food stamps, and living with her parents (BTW: she has provide NO assistance to her senior citizen parents towards mortgage, household expenses, etc., Per Octo-grandma) she seems to have found some extra cash to make herself feel a little better about . . . herself! Her nose has been slimmed down, and her lips plumped up! Opf! And don't forget the Restalyne . . . must be for all those happy-mommy smile lines she got from her prev six children, two of which are disabled and receiving SSI payments. See prev photos of psycho-Suleman and recent Ann Curry interview. Hmmm, do those lips and nose look familiar? Seems like she wants to be more like Angelina Jolie than we think. The difference is . . . Angelina Jolie can AFFORD all her kids! Social Services needs to take a SERIOUS look at this nut-job. She seems to have made herself camera-ready for her five minutes of fame, and now she's lookin' to cash in. "Im ready for my close up Mr. Demille!" These poor children!! My greatest fear is if we reward this selfish mother's behavior by making her into a celebrity, sadly, others will follow.

[Mark Chekal-Bain]

I am not going to express an opinion about the births. I will say however, that WIC does NOT provide enough to actually feed a child.

I had a foster child for who we received WIC. When the child was on formula, WIC only provided about 60% of what he needed... when the child starting eating solid food, it was about the same.

Luckily, we had the money to buy all the child needed. We only did WIC because the foster care agency required it (it was there way of making sure the child got weighed once a month).

WIC does not actually provide near enough of what people need to survive.

[Paco]

So if she is going to make allegedly make $$MILLIONS$$ off this mess. I suggest she repay all the public assistance, yes miss thing Welfare and all, she has received to date since she could obviously afford it now with all the money she will soon receive.

And look Ms. Suleman, I have an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from a to- tier university and I'm smart enough to know that a Master's degree will not guarantee me a high paying job. You have to do it the old fashion way, EARN IT!