Parents Who Prayed While Child Died Charged

Source: ABC News

Reckless Homicide Charges Filed After 11-Year-Old With Untreated Disease Dies

By DAVID SCHOETZ
April 28, 2008

The parents of an 11-year-old Wisconsin girl who prayed instead of seeking medical help for the diabetic child are facing homicide charges in connection with her death.

Dale and Leilani Neumann were charged with second-degree reckless homicide, Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad announced at a press conference today. If convicted, the couple could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.

"It is very surprising, shocking that she wasn't allowed medical intervention," Falstad said.

Madeline Kara Neumann, who went by the name Kara, died in March at a hospital in Everest, Wis. Her parents called 911 after she stopped breathing on Easter Sunday.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/DiabetesResource/story?id=4741254&page=1

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This story strikes home. At the same age (decades ago), I was regularly driven to an old Egyptian-themed theater in downtown LA (was it the Shrine?) to attend faith healing services, in the hopes I would be "healed" of my diabetes. Needless to say, about 50,000 injections later, I didn't suffer the same fate as the poor girl in this story.

I have two relatives who died from Christian Science but at least they were adults.

Any idiot who lets their child die must be punished.

argued by the prosecutor that they must not have had as much of an objection to seeking aid for their child as they claimed in which case they are guilty of negligence.

Also, relatives on the west coast called police in the county where the family was.

for parents who's religious beliefs do not accept our medical ideas to be in trouble. Many religious people believe things that are not my cup of tea. That said, why do we let insurance co. off the hook. Why are insurance co. allowed to deny medical treatment to save profits from going to saving peoples lifes? Because they get to write the laws. Sen. Edwards pointed that out. Plus insurance co. have lawyers talking circles. These parents have only their prayers.

The parents are the legal guardians of a child. They are responsible for the child's safety. The withholding of insulin or medical treatment is a decision that an adult may well make for themselves, even if it still amounts to an unwise decision. But no child should be asked or demanded to accept that religious belief will cure a potentially fatal but manageable disease, anymore than they should be handed the keys to the car and told to take the freeway to Grandma's house. It amounts to reckless disregard for the wellbeing of someone who probably doesn't have the smarts or the maturity to make such decisions on their own.

there are laws protecting children from their own parents, as there should be.

True: insurance companies commit "murder by spreadsheet". But they do so under the guise of "choice" (the 'don't like our coverage, go someplace else' nonsense).

This is not really related to the legal guardianship issues with any child. If a child, riding unsecured (child safety seat), under a certain age/weight is killed in an accident then the driver of the car can be charged with murder, possibly negligent homicide.

The laws are quite strict regarding how guardians should act to protect a child's life.

Maybe this will be a wake up call to these people that either: a) God doesn't exist or b) God doesn't care. Once you can accept either of those, then your life really is much less stressful.

Have them plead innocent by reason of bottom line. They were able to make a better return to the shareholders of the family if they disallowed this type of coverage. Works for the insurance companies.

While parents are given a pretty wide berth to raise their children as they see fit, there are some things that just do not fall under that rubric. I'm glad that the DA realized that this is one of them.

It's one thing to have your crazy and delusional beliefs, but it is quite another to willingly murder your child because of those dreams. Take em to Gitmo.

why has god never cured an amputee?

It is truly horrifying and depressing the choices people will make for their religious beliefs. I am glad that the parents have been charged for this disgusting act. I hope this sends a clear signal to parents that a child's health is more important than their parents religious beliefs.

The Naked Truth
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