Oregon trying to deal with faith-healing cult's child deaths

Clackamas County in Oregon is home to the Followers of Christ Church, a 1,300 member sect that believes the only medicine anyone really needs is faith, religious ritual and the laying on of hands. Since the 1950s, news stories have highlighted dozens of preventable child deaths among church families as well as a number of instances of mothers needlessly dying in childbirth. A string of such cases in the 1990s led to legislation in 1999 that eliminated Oregon's "spiritual healing defense" in some cases of criminal mistreatment and manslaughter.

 

In spite of the revision of Oregan's law, preventable deaths of the children of sect members continue to occur.

 

In the news recently was the case of Raylene and Carl Brent Worthington who were tried for the death of their 15-month old infant daughter. The child died from bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection, the symptoms of which would have caused most parents to rush their child to a hospital instead of a church pew. The court decided that what prayer failed to cure, normal medical procedures would have and though neither parent was convicted of the original charges of 2nd degree manslaughter, the father was convicted of criminal mistreatment, a misdemeanor.

 

Even more recently (Feb. 2), Raylene Worthington's parents, Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for failing to provide medical care to her brother, a 16-year old who died of complications from a urinary blockage that went undiagnosed because they took him to a church for treatment instead of a doctor. Sentence is still pending in this case.

 

Shawn Peters, a University of Wisconsin at Madison teacher and an expert on law and religion, was quoted in The Oregonian as saying, "I'm not convinced that prosecuting parents after children die is the way to go if the goal is to change behavior." Peters instead recommends a community-based effort to engage church members in dialogue.

 

Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote agrees. "We want to work with the members of the church to make sure children are receiving appropriate medical care and not suffering needlessly," Foote said Thursday.

 

If past efforts are any predictor though, working with church members won't be easy. The Oregonian reports that "Church officials declined to respond to questions submitted to Steven Ungar, a Portland attorney hired by the church two years ago who serves as their public intermediary. Church leaders, and church members in general, do not speak to reporters."

 

Church leaders did, however, meet with prosecutors, police and medical examiners in 2004 to discuss the 1999 revisions in the law. They agreed to notify law enforcement when a death occurs as well as post a notice at the church explaining the law and the investigation that a death might prompt.

 

Meantime, they're still treating their sick the way the Bible prescribes and their children are still suffering and dying for it.

 

Photo Credit:

1) Carl and Raylene Worthington

 

 

If you like my articles, click on "Subscribe" at the top of the page and you'll receive notice when a new one is published.