Parents Indicted in Faith-Healing Death

Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:09 PM EDT

OREGON CITY — A couple whose church preaches against medical care are facing criminal charges after their young daughter died of an infection that authorities said went untreated.

Carl and Raylene Worthington were indicted Friday on charges of manslaughter and criminal mistreatment in the death of their 15-month-old daughter Ava. They belong to the Followers of Christ Church, whose members have a history of treating gravely ill children only with prayer.

Ava died March 2 of bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection. The state medical examiner's office has said she could have been treated with antibiotics.

Dr. Christopher Young, a deputy state medical examiner, said the child's breathing was further hampered by a benign cyst on her neck that had never been medically addressed, The Oregonian reported.

Laws passed in the 1990s struck down legal shields for faith-healing parents after the deaths of several children whose parents were members of the fundamentalist church.

Since those laws took effect in 1999, "We haven't seen any cases of significant medical neglect ... until now," said child abuse Detective Jeff Green of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

The Worthingtons could face more than six years if convicted on the manslaughter charges and up to a year on the mistreatment charges, said Greg Horner, chief deputy district attorney. They were released on $250,000 bail, he said.

Horner said he didn't know whether the couple had lawyers to speak for them. A number listed for the couple was disconnected. A man who answered the phone at the church Monday would not identify himself and said: "We've been told 'No comment.'"

The Worthingtons also lost a baby boy in 2001, but an investigation was closed after family members told police the child was stillborn. Several other Followers of Christ children have also been stillborn or died during home births in recent years, and none of the deaths resulted in criminal charges, authorities have said.

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Groups: Atheism 101, Crime and Punishment
Regions: United States , Portland-OR

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{"commentId":1640393,"authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

Henry VII

These people deserve to be locked away for life.

Manslaughter? This is @!$%#ing murder and everyone knows it well!

How about some commentary with your article about the idiocy and danger of religion.

I've read some reports that say Madeline's three siblings are staying with relatives while other say they are still in their parents' custody. The police chief Dan Vergin has previous said this about the siblings:

"They are still in the home," he said. "There is no reason to remove them. There is no abuse or signs of abuse that we can see."

Which is absurd. When religious belief turns into preventable homicide, it's abuse. The kids need to be protected from the parents, who knew what had to be done (calling the doctors) but chose otherwise.

{"commentId":1640393,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

2 votes

#1 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:07 PM EDT

{"commentId":1641856,"authorDomain":"adamkemp"}

Adam Kemp

No, it pretty much fits the definition of manslaughter. Specifically it's involuntary manslaughter.

{"commentId":1641856,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"adamkemp"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:53 PM EDT

{"commentId":1641962,"authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

Henry VII

Sure, if you believe the parent's story. In that case, the punishment for manslaughter should be far worse. People get more than six years for drug charges. This is absurd.

{"commentId":1641962,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

1 vote

#1.2 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1642066,"authorDomain":"Wheel"}

Wheel

People get more than six years for drug charges. This is absurd.

That's because drug charges carry mandatory minimum sentences. Even if they get 6 years, if they're first time offenders, they probably won't do more than 2 1/2 years, then they'll get some supervised probation.

{"commentId":1642066,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"Wheel"}

#1.3 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:00 PM EDT

{"commentId":1642213,"authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

Henry VII

This is one instance in which I wouldn't be opposed to their children being put into the custody of a sane family, and these parents permanently sterilized. That they would get the same treatment as someone who accidentally hit someone with their car is atrocious.

{"commentId":1642213,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"Henryvii"}

1 vote

#1.4 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:36 PM EDT

{"commentId":1640656,"authorDomain":"m0lissa"}

Great Aunt Boleyne

I agree. It is murder. I have a strong faith in God. I also believe God put doctors here to save us. Every child's suffering breaks His heart, especially when it was preventable.

{"commentId":1640656,"threadId":"243007","contentId":"1401506","authorDomain":"m0lissa"}

#2 - Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:24 PM EDT

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Parents Indicted in Faith-Healing Death

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