3.26.2008

Sad Sad Ignorance....

These stories pop up every once in a while and when they do, it infuriates me. I think the parents should be severely punished.

What's the difference between these parents who neglect treatment and pray for the child or the parents to neglect their children because they were too busy playing video games? I know the latter has been severely criticized by the media (as it should), but the praying parents are treated like its an unfortunate incident.

In my eyes there is no difference. If the parents are aware of a possible treatment (that is necessary for survival) but chose not to undertake it, regardless of their other intentions, such as prayer or straight neglect, they should be treated as if they were responsible for the death of their child. It's one of those so-called "inconveniences" of becoming a parent. Deal with it.

I can't stand ignorance of science and medicine....esp if the reason is religion....


Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

WESTON, Wis. — An 11-year-old girl died after her parents prayed for healing rather than seek medical help for a treatable form of diabetes, police said Tuesday.

Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said Madeline Neumann died Sunday.

"She got sicker and sicker until she was dead," he said.

Vergin said an autopsy determined the girl died from diabetic ketoacidosis, an ailment that left her with too little insulin in her body, and she had probably been ill for about 30 days, suffering symptoms like nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness.

The girl's parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, attributed the death to "apparently they didn't have enough faith," the police chief said.

They believed the key to healing "was it was better to keep praying. Call more people to help pray," he said.

The mother believes the girl could still be resurrected, the police chief said.

Telephone messages left at the Neumann home by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The family does not attend an organized church or participate in an organized religion, Vergin said. "They have a little Bible study of a few people."

The parents told investigators their daughter last saw a doctor when she was 3 to get some shots, Vergin said. The girl had attended public school during the first semester but didn't return for the second semester.

Officers went to the home after one of the girl's relatives in California called police to check on her, Vergin said. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The relative was fearful the girl was "extremely ill, dire," Vergin said.

The girl has three siblings, ranging in age from 13 to 16, the police chief said.

"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."

The girl's death remains under investigation and the findings will be forwarded to the district attorney to review for possible charges, the chief said.

The family operates a coffee shop in Weston, which is a suburb of Wausau, Vergin said.

Taken from here


P.S. How close is this to you folks in Wisconsin?


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Two things:

1) I was in the process of posting this story when I saw that you already had...

CREEPY

2) Milwaukee is about 180 miles from where this happened.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Neeley has been talking about this exact topic in his Health Care Ethics class for the past week or so.. Its interesting to note that a lot of states have specific laws that allow a parent of to refuse conventional medical treatment for their children (provided they belong to a pre-approved religious organization). Even more interesting is the fact that many states will not charge parents if their child dies due to a lack of conventional medical care- as long as the parents believe that their prayer healing was really helping the child....

There is a test to drive a car, to be certified in CPR, and even Cosmo Sex quizzes- but there is no test for someone to take before he/she becomes a parent. Any idiot can reproduce and raise children without any knowledge whatsoever- and its not until something goes wrong that the government steps in to say- no this is how it should be done. Fantastic.