Religious freedom vs. child welfare

A 15 month old Clackamas County girl died on March 2 from bacterial bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection. Her parents made every attempt through prayer to heal her but no attempts medically. Both the pneumonia and the infection are treatable with antibiotics. A grand jury has brought two charges against the parents for the death of their daughter: second degree manslaughter and second degree criminal mistreatment.


This is a complicated case for me. I understand a families desire to surrender to God, to rely on his power, and to have peace with whatever the answer is to any specific prayer. But this is at the cost of their daughter and that’s where it gets complicated for me. Michael and I discussed this situation over dinner last night and well, there wasn’t much to discuss because we’re giving our kids antibiotics, if they need them and especially if their lives depend on them. It’s a no brainer for us.


I do understand the value and need for prayer. A few years ago while I was in Tanzania, our van broke down on our way back from a tribal visit out in the middle of nowhere. It was almost night and not a good time for us to be outside with no protection. We needed a 14” wrench to fix the van. After three hours of prayer, a man showed up with a 14” wrench (the only tool he had), fixed our bus and we were on our way. I believe that prayer saved us that night.


Although I was not testing God in Tanzania, I have tested Him other times in my life with prayer. Hoping that by some miracle he would produce something that seemed virtually impossible by human standards. I have justified these tests by thinking that the miracle would prove to others his existence and ability; and, in my quiet thoughts, the miracle would show to others how much faith I had to believe when no one else did.


If I were a judge in this case and presented with this information, I would convict the parents guilty with pain and sorrow. It’s complicated but the evidence is right there. They had the ability to save their daughter and they choose not to. I hate to go down the road of religious persecution, but in this case, the child could have been saved from death. I see it similar to a family in a house fire, and the parents rushing outside to pray that they children make it outside. Would not any sane parent stick out their arm to pick up and save their child from the fire before they came out of the house? Even though my answer seems clear in this verdict, it’s still complicated for me.