Six-Months in Jail for Faith-Healing Parents Who Let Daughter Die
A couple from Wisconsin who prayed for their 11-year-old daughter rather than seek medical attention for what transpired was a treatable form of diabetes have each been sentenced to six months in jail.
In March 2008 11-year-old Madeline Neumann, known as Kara, became ill. But as they watched their daughter grow weaker and weaker - she was unable to speak, eat, drink or walk - rather than seek the help of a doctor the girl's parents Leilani Neumann, 41, and Dale Neumann, 47, instead chose to pray for their daughter to recover.
And as Madeline lay dying on the floor of the couple's home in Weston, Wisconsin others joined them in praying for the girl to recover from what was an undiagnosed case of diabetes, which was nevertheless treatable.
CBS reports that someone praying over Madeline, it did not state that it was her mother or father, called an emergency dispatcher once the 11-year-old girl stopped breathing.
Facing possible sentences of 25 years in jail after being found guilty of second-degree homicide earlier this year, the Neumanns rejected portrayals of themselves as religious zealots and maintained that they had still kept their faith in God.
As she waited to hear her sentence for having allowing her daughter to die Leilani Neumann said:I do not regret trusting truly in the Lord for my daughter's health. Did we know she had a fatal illness? No. Did we act to the best of our knowledge? YesDale Neumann echoed the sentiments of his wife saying:I am guilty of trusting my Lord's wisdom completely. ... Guilty of asking for heavenly intervention. Guilty of following Jesus Christ when the whole world does not understand. Guilty of obeying my GodWhen their sentences were finally announced the couple heard Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Vincent Howard describe them as "very good people, raising their family who made a bad decision, a reckless decision". He added that "God probably works through other people, some of them doctors".
As a part of the sentence the couple eventually received they were put on probation for 10 years and for the next six years each of them must spend one month in jail. They will not serve their sentences in the same month, one of them will be jailed during March and the other during September.
In addition the two of the couple's three teenage children that are still underage must be examined by a public health nurse at least every three months and if either of the children are seriously injured they must be referred to a doctor immediately.
The couple are planning an appeal against their sentences, which did not reflect the wishes of either the prosecutors in the case or the Neumanns' lawyers.
After arguing that the couple had failed in their legal duty to their daughter by not calling for medical help, Assistant District Attorney LaMont Jacobson spoke of justice having been served, but expressed disappointment at the Neumanns having never apologized for their actions.
Indeed Dale Neumann declared that he and his wife were "completely content with what the Lord has allowed to come down".
Jay Kronenwetter is the lawyer for Mr Neumann and he was asked by the BBC for his opinion on the sentence his client received. He told the BBC:My client sees spiritual treatment as the proper medicine and I suspect the people who want harsher punishment see Western medicine as the proper medicine, I guess therein lies the difference. My clients just happen to have a belief that is very outside of our social normThe case involving the Neumanns is by no means the only instance in recent times of a parent or parents refusing medical treatment for their child because of religious reasons. In May Digital Journal reported on the case of Daniel Hauser, a 13-year-old boy from Minnesota whose mother initially fled with him rather than allow him to receive treatment for Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer.
Six-Months in Jail for Faith-Healing Parents Who Let Daughter Die
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