A US jury has found a man guilty of killing his sick 11-year-old daughter by praying for her recovery rather than seeking medical care.

The man, Dale Neumann, told a court in the state of Wisconsin he believed God could heal his daughter.

She died of a treatable disease - undiagnosed diabetes - at home in rural Wisconsin in March last year, as people surrounded her and prayed.

Neumann's wife, Leilani Neumann, was convicted earlier this year.

The couple, who were both convicted of second-degree reckless homicide, face up to 25 years in prison when they are sentenced in October.

A lawyer representing Dale Neumann said he would appeal.

'Faith healing'

During the trial, medical experts told the court that Neumann's daughter could have survived if she had received treatment, including insulin and fluids, before she stopped breathing.

On Thursday Neumann, who is 47 and studied in the past to be a Pentecostal minister, said he thought God would heal his daughter.

"If I go to the doctor, I am putting the doctor before God," he said. "I am not believing what he said he would do."

He also said he thought his daughter had had flu or a fever, and that he had not realised how ill she was.

Neumann's lawyer said he had been convinced that his "faith healing" was working, and that he had committed no crime.

The prosecution argued that Neumann had minimised his daughter's illness and that he had allowed her to die as a selfish act of faith.

They said the girl should have been taken to hospital because she was unable to walk, talk, eat or drink.

Instead, an ambulance was only called once the girl had stopped breathing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8180116.stm

well he's an idiot.

i don't like this ruling at all.

religion doesn't allow you to break the law. purposefully withholding proper medical attention from a dependent is illegal.

he knowingly withheld medical help for his kid.

what part of that don't you get?

he might as well shot her ---

"purposefully withholding proper medical attention"? what does that even mean?

as far as faith healing goes, it is most certainly not illegal on the federal level. i don't know where you got that from. it really depends what state you live in.

The CAPTA amendments of 1996 added new provisions
specifying that nothing in the Act be construed as establishing
a Federal requirement that a parent or legal guardian provide
any medical service or treatment that is against the religious
beliefs of the parent or legal guardian (42 U.S.C. § 5106i). At
the State level, civil child abuse reporting laws may provide
an exception to the definition of child abuse and neglect for
parents who choose not to seek medical care for their children
due to religious beliefs. Approximately 30 States, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam provide for such an
exception.19 Three States specifically provide an exception for
Christian Science treatment.20 However, 16 of the 30 States and
Puerto Rico authorize the court to order medical treatment for
the child when the child’s condition warrants intervention.21 Five
States require mandated reporters to report instances when a
child is not receiving medical care so that an investigation can
be made.22

http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/law...utes/define.pdf

but beyond faith healing, what about alternative medicine? in your mind, does this also give the courts the right to tell you that you must seek " accepted western" medical care for your child? complete and total bullshit ruling that further opens the door to gross invasions of our privacy.

i think he and his wife made a terribly ignorant decision that cost their child her life. but it is THEIR decision to make. and comparing what happened to him shooting her is just asinine.

perplexing that you seem to be so affected by this, even though it's a matter of faith, yet somehow continually manage to justify our own war machine's endless needless slaughtering.

WWSPD?

first off this is not a 'matter of faith' --- its ignorance

secondly, comparing this situation to the war on terror is
entering USTA4's territory of stupidity.

if only oak would pray away his health issues

my 'health' issues?!?

:huh:

the tumor sucking all the oxygen from your brain

can you be more irrelevant?

to you maybe it is. but to someone else it may be a matter of god's will, it was their time to go, they were saved from a more horrific fate, etc....personal beliefs, what can you do other than try to influence them or ostracize them?

you're right, this is an outrageous murder, it deserves the same level of condemnation as if he had shot her himself.

the actual murders committed in the name of the "war on terror" however, they deserve you're enthusiastic lapdog defense.
:whistle:

Her disease was undiagnosed. If they had taken her to the doctor and the doctor
caught it she would have been treated. I'm with sadus on this one. The gov needs to stay out of peoples business.

only if Im a smug douche from PA who thinks SP is an intelligent woman.

if it were the adult's decision for himself, Id agree.

So since she was a minor it was her parents decision. It's sad that the girl is dead but I don't think procecuting her parents serves justice.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I agree...

I can understand outright abuse by parents who are fully aware of a disease their child has and choose not to treat them (given the treatment isn't worse than the disease)... but then who would decide that anyhow?

If ever I become a mother and my child is diagnosed with cancer, I can't see myself allowing chemotherapy or radiation.

so you'd let your child die?

No... which is why I said that I wouldn't allow chemo or radiation. THOSE are what end up killing the patient. Not the cancer itself.

:lol:

so cancer doesn't kill, its the treatment itself that kills?

wow.

so how would you treat her cancer? let it run its course? - cause after all you just stated that it isn't cancer that kills, but the treatment.

again, wow.

I'd treat his or her cancer by boosting up her/his immune strength.

Mass doses of vitamin C and niacin, coupled with a mostly vegetarian diet with limited organic chicken and fish.

please tell me you are kidding Kali.

treating cancer involves more than boosting one's immune system....not to mention there are different types of cancer.

what do you do if the person who develops cancer already has a fine immune system?

also, vitamin C is water soluble so massive amounts are a waste as they will be pee'd away

and niacin is a way (arguably btw) to PREVENT, not cure.

so if the parents shoot her dead that is ok, because she is a 'minor?' :huh:

they knowingly withheld medical attention and she died.

I'm not kidding, Oak.

Yes... it involves more. Diet and demeanor. The type of cancer doesn't matter.
If it's a fast spreading cancer, you'll only deteriorate faster with added chemo and pharmaceuticals.

You keep it strong and change their habits. If someone ends up with metastasized cancer, it's spreading regardless. Your hope is to create not only a strong body that will automatically fight against disease, but also to live a life that is quality over quantity.

Of course it's water soluble... as is Niacin, which is WHY you can take massive amounts.
A disease ridden body will absorb more than a healthy body. Our bodies know what to keep and what not to keep. If the only Vitamin C available is through powder or tablets, an individual would do well to take three every half hour.

Cancer is fast multiplying cells creating masses that hinder our organs, Oak. To prevent added cancer is always a benefit. There is no "cure"... it's all about maintenance.
But I have to ask you... since you think that my thoughts are ridiculous in this matter, and dismissing them because 'it isn't a cure', are you suggesting that chemotherapy and radiation are cancer cures?

You guys are both wrong. I would say chemo is way over prescribed but it does work for some people. Same with radiation. Kali is right that chemo destroys your immune system, oak, and a huge percentage of people actually die from infections of one kind or another instead of the cancer itself.

I'm not wrong... Dad

I told you not to call me that in front of everybody

:lol:

:lol: Stupid.

it's natural selection