Sgt. Darren Dhanoolal. (Photo: Kynesha Dhanoolal)
An Atlanta judge has given the widow of a Fort Benning soldier killed in Iraq hope for a child by allowing her husband's sperm to be extracted and preserved.
Before he died last Monday of wounds suffered when an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, Sgt. Dayne Darren Dhanoolal, 26, had talked often with his wife of 13 months about having children, according to court papers filed by the wife's lawyer.
Dhanoolal had signed a military form designating his mother, Monica Brown of Killeen, Texas, as the person to handle disposition of his remains if he died while serving. After his death, however, a probate judge appointed his wife, Kynesha, as temporary administrator of his estate.
The wife maintains that gives her control of her husband's remains. He did not have a will.
A federal judge in Columbus granted a request Friday by the widow for a temporary restraining order preventing the military from embalming the soldier's body until after samples of his sperm were extracted from his body.
The samples were taken later that day and are in the custody of a medical representative for the widow, who asserted in court papers that her husband's mother had refused to acknowledge the couple's wishes regarding children.
"There's no battle anymore," Kynesha Dhanoolal said Monday after speaking with her mother-in-law over the weekend.Medical experts question whether artificial insemination would work because the samples were taken four days after the man died.
The widow's attorney, Frank Myers, said emotions got in the way of reaching an agreement earlier. But, now, he said, "I think everybody is on the same page."
It will be up the court to determine who will get possession of the sperm. As of Monday, an agreement had not been filed with the court.
"Hopefully, the peace will last and everybody will be happy in the end," Myers said.(The Associated Press)
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