Tampa, Fla. ? The state’s social services agency is seeking to delay the removal of a brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube so it can investigate about 30 new allegations of “abuse, neglect or exploitation” by her husband, according to a court document made public Friday.

In a petition filed last week, the Department of Children & Families said it received the allegations through its anonymous abuse hot line. It sought a 60-day stay blocking the removal of 41-year-old Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, now scheduled for March 18.

The department said the accusations include failure to investigate experimental medical procedures, denial of legal counsel, lack of communication and visitation, and lack of manipulation of Terri Schiavo’s arms, “causing severe contractures.”

Schiavo’s husband, Michael Schiavo, and her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, are in a bitter legal fight over her life. Schiavo argues that his wife did not want to be kept alive artificially, but the Schindlers say she had no such wishes and is not in a vegetative state as court-ordered doctors have determined.

Judge George Greer is expected to hear arguments next week on whether the Department of Children & Families should be allowed to intervene.

The petition does not single out a suspect but indicates that Michael Schiavo is the target of the investigation by saying, “The allegations in the abuse reports go to the heart of whether abuse, neglect and/or exploitation has been perpetrated by the guardian” — who is Michael Schiavo.

Terri Schiavo, right, gets a kiss from her mother, Mary Schindler, in this Aug. 11, 2001, image taken from a videotape. Florida welfare officials are investigating about 30 allegations that Michael Schiavo abused, neglected or exploited his wife, Terri, the severely brain-damaged woman whose life he has been fighting to end, according to a court document made public Friday.

Michael Schiavo denies harming his wife. His attorney, George Felos, said Friday at least 89 complaints had been filed with the Department of Children & Families regarding Terri Schiavo and none produced any evidence of abuse.

“The obvious question is, after 89 investigations, why is DCF compelled to file a petition to intervene in court now?” Felos said. “And the answer is that it’s purely a political situation.”

Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago when her heart stopped beating for several minutes because of a chemical imbalance possibly brought on by an eating disorder.

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