Canadian Hospital Receives Threats Over 'Baby Joseph'

The Canadian hospital at the center of the “Baby Joseph” controversy finds itself on the receiving end of threats sent via email and phone calls, reported the Toronto Sun. Many of these threats have been said to come from the U.S.

The London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario, has since beefed up its security and issued a press release, which read: “We have urged our staff and physicians to report to us any concerns they have,” according to the article.

The hospital went on to say that it is working closely with police and have taken the “necessary steps” to protect its staff and physicians.

The uproar comes after Joseph Maraachli, 13 months old, who is currently kept alive by a respirator, was denied a transfer to a Michigan hospital to undergo a tracheotomy.

The boy suffers from a rare, progressive neurological disease which, Canadian doctors say, has left him in a vegetative state beyond recovery.

The hospital did not comment in the report about the number of threats it received nor the security steps that were taken. But no individual has received a direct threat, said the London police Deputy Chief Ian Peer in the report.

“But frankly, would I be surprised if that happens? Not really,” he said. Police are investigating some of the threats he called serious enough they could break the law.

Many of the threatening comments have come from the U.S., Peer said.

"South of the border people seem to be quite emotional and happy to share their opinions."

A spokesman for Maraachli’s family told FoxNews.com the family is "working on an appeal" to the Michigan hospital's decision. The hospital declined to comment on "any matters surrounding the case."

Canadian health care allocation officials already ruled that Joseph had to be taken off life support and allowed to die in the hospital.

Please read the Toronto Sun's report here.