Rhode Island Grandparents’ Visitation Rights Case Raises Questions of Medical Ethics and Parental Rights

A contentious legal battle in Rhode Island has brought to light allegations of medical overreach, disputed diagnoses, and a father’s desperate attempt to protect his young daughter from what he believes is harmful interference from her maternal grandparents. The case centers around visitation rights for Siavash Ghoreishi and Jila Khorsand, both retired medical doctors, and their son-in-law, Scott Naso, following the death of their daughter, Shahrzad “Sherry” Naso, in April 2024.

Background of the Case

Scott Naso is fighting to prevent his in-laws from having contact with his four-year-old daughter, Laila. Naso initially allowed visits after his wife’s death but became concerned about the grandparents’ behavior and ultimately requested they cease all contact in July 2024. Ghoreishi and Khorsand subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking visitation rights.

Allegations of Medical Misconduct

Central to Naso’s argument is the claim that his in-laws, Dr. Siavash Ghoreishi (a pediatrician) and Dr. Jila Khorsand (a pathologist), improperly treated his wife, Sherry, and potentially their granddaughter, Laila. Naso testified that Ghoreishi prescribed 124 medications to Sherry over the last decade of her life, often without informing her oncology team, potentially masking the recurrence of her metastatic breast cancer. He also discovered numerous prescriptions written by Ghoreishi for Laila, including prednisone administered the day Sherry Naso died without Naso’s consent.

Naso presented text messages from Khorsand to Sherry that he believes misdiagnosed her symptoms, attributing weakness, numbness, and bowel trouble to lymphedema and discontinuing Prozac, rather than recognizing potential signs of cancer progression.

Financial and Ethical Concerns

Naso also alleges financial improprieties, claiming Ghoreishi filed fraudulent insurance claims for himself, Sherry, and Laila. He further stated that his in-laws allowed their medical licenses to expire in 2024 to avoid accountability. He also voiced concerns that the grandparents were attempting to control Laila’s inheritance.

Court Proceedings and Judge’s Concerns

The case has been marked by emotional testimony, including Naso breaking down in tears while recounting his fears for his daughter’s well-being. The judge questioned Naso about the potential impact on Laila of learning her grandparents were allegedly responsible for her mother’s death, to which Naso responded that his daughter deserved to know the truth.

Notably, the court has given limited consideration to whether visits with the grandparents would be in Laila’s best interest, a key factor in visitation cases.

Ongoing Legal Battle

The trial is set to resume in April 2026, coinciding with the second anniversary of Sherry Naso’s death. The outcome of the case will likely have significant implications for grandparents’ visitation rights and the boundaries of medical intervention within families.