And here I thought the blood issue was bad. Very sad indeed.
Blog- http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21046/followers-of-christ-2
Boy Dies After Choosing Prayer Over Medicine
June 19, 2008 05:07 PM by Rachel Balik A 16-year-old boy in Oregon died of a treatable urinary tract condition after he refused medical help, believing prayer would heal his illness.
30-Second Summary
Share Medical examiner Dr. Clifford Nelson called the death of 16-year-old Neil Beagley on June 17 “an absolute waste of a young life.” He said that the boy died of a simple urinary tract condition that could have been treated easily with a catheter. Without treatment, the boy was unable to urinate for a week. He suffered stomach pains and shortness of breath until the toxins in his blood caused heart failure.Beagley and his family are members of the Oregon City Followers of Christ Church and believe that prayer, not medical treatment, is the best way to cure illness. Beagley’s niece, 15-month-old Ava Worthington, died in March of an untreated bronchial infection, and her parents have been charged with manslaughter. However, Oregon law states that children over the age of 14 can make their own decisions about treatment, so Beagley’s parents will not face charges. “All of the interviews from last night are that he did in fact refuse treatment," police Sgt. Lynne Benton said.
However, Ava Worthington was not old enough to legally request or refuse treatment, and her parents will be tried in January. Their defense lawyer says that their Constitutional right to religious freedom has been violated and that “they’ve been called upon by God to face this challenge.” They have set up a Web site to help present their case to the public and raise money for their cause.
A former Follower of Christ Church member says that the whole group is a cult, but defends the Worthingtons. She says Ava’s parents “are victims too, victims of the church, and they were just following their beliefs that they’ve been taught since they were born.”
Headline Link: ‘Teen From Faith-Healing Family Refuses Treatment, Dies’
A catheter would have prevented the heart failure that killed 16-year-old Neil Beagley of Gladstone, Oregon, but he and his parents, who belong to a faith-healing church, never sought medical treatment for the urinary tract condition that poisoned his organs. His parents are not legally responsible for his death because Oregon minors over the age of 14 are allowed to personally make the decision to accept or deny treatment. Police Sgt. Lynne Benton said that “All of the interviews from last night are that he did in fact refuse treatment.” The state cannot press charges unless it can prove that the teen asked for treatment.
Source: Portland Tribune
go to site » In the autopsy described in Portland news channel Northwest 8’s video coverage, medical examiner Dr. Clifford Nelson determined that Beagley had a “basic bladder condition” that when left untreated, rendered him unable to urinate. The urea that was backed up in his bloodstream ultimately caused heart failure. The boy had been sick for a week, complaining of severe stomach pains. Nelson suspects that his “final days were excruciating.” The boy’s family and other church members told authorities that he had not wanted medical treatment.
Source: Northwest News Channel 8
Background: Children Dying in Faith-Healing Families
There were two similar incidents earlier this year of children dying because their parents opted to heal by prayer rather than secure medical treatment. In Wisconsin, Dale and Leilani Neumann were charged with second-degree reckless homicide after their 11-year old daughter Madeline died of diabetes. Meanwhile, Raylene and Charles Brent Worthington were indicted on charges of manslaughter after their 15-month-old daughter Ava (Neil Beagley’s niece) died of a treatable bronchial infection.
Source: findingDulcinea
go to site » Raylene and Carl Brent Worthington plan to fight their case, claiming their Constitutional right to religious freedom. They have started a Web site to help present their side of the story to the public. They are the first couple to be charged with a crime under a1999 Oregon law that holds “parents criminally liable for relying solely on prayer for healing their children.” The law was introduced in response to the 1998 death of another child who belonged to the same church as the Worthingtons and the Beagleys. John Neidig, one of the Worthingtons’ defense lawyers, argues that Ava’s condition “might have been treatable, but not necessarily curable in conventional medical terms.” He says that her parents have “been called upon by God to face this challenge."
Source: The Oregonian
Reaction: Victims of Their Own Beliefs
A former member of the Followers of Christ came forth and called the group a cult. The woman, who refused to be named, spoke up after the March death of Beagley’s niece, 15-month-old Ava Worthington. Although Ava’s parents have been indicted on criminal charges, the former church member said, “Her parents are victims too, victims of the church, and they were just following their beliefs that they’ve been taught since they were born.”