Oregon Parents of Girl Who Died from Treatable Illness Being Charged

The parents of a 15-month-old baby are facing manslaughter and criminal mistreatment charges following their failure to seek medical treatment for the girl, opting instead to pray for healing.

A medical examiner determined that the girl, suffering from bacterial bronchial pneumonia, could have easily been treated with antibiotics but the parents turned to their religion’s belief in prayer as a means of medical treatment.

Both Carl Worthington and Raylene Worthington surrendered on Friday night to face the charges and are each being held on $250,000 bail. They are scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

The Worthington’s are members of the Followers of Christ Church, a church that was at the center of a trial in which an 11-year-old boy died after his diabetes was left untreated. That case prompted the Oregon Legislature to eliminate the “spiritual-healing defense” in 1999.

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