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Faith Healing

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The Beagleys could face a maximum of 10 years in prison. Because the two have no prior convictions, the normal sentencing range under state sentencing guidelines would be 16 to 18 months in prison.

The Beagleys are the first Oregon parents convicted of homicide in the faith-healing death of a child since the state legislature eliminated spiritual treatment as a defense in such cases in 1999.
» Full Story

Prosecutors said Neil Beagley’s fate was sealed when he was born. His undetected medical condition caused urine to back up into his body and eventually destroyed his kidneys. He also was born into a family that believed using medical doctors showed a lack of faith in God.
The key question facing jurors is this: What would a reasonable person have done?
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Nearly two weeks of testimony ended Thursday in the trial of Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, who are charged with criminally negligent homicide for failing to provide medical care to their 16-year-old son. Neil Beagley died in June 2008 of complications from a congenital urinary blockage that had never been treated.

The family belongs to the Followers of Christ, an Oregon City church that relies on faith healing rather than medical care.
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Jeff Beagley told an Oregon City jury Wednesday that despite staying home from work the June 2008 day his 16-year-old son died, spending the whole night before awake talking to Neil, carrying his ill son to the bathroom and family members coming to pray over Neil, he didn’t think Neil’s condition was bad enough that his life was in danger.

The family is part of the Oregon City-based Followers of Christ Church, which believes in faith healing and has seen more than 80 children laid to rest in its Oregon City church cemetery. [video]
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The defense in the faith-healing trial in the June 2008 death of 16-year-old Neil Beagley began its case Monday with a medical expert witness who said the teen’s symptoms weren’t necessarily so bad that a reasonable person would think he could have died.
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Prosecutors won the right Wednesday to introduce evidence from a previous faith-healing death in the extended family of Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, whose teenage son died in June 2008 from an untreated medical condition.

The Beagleys also were present when their 15-month-old granddaughter, Ava, died March 2, 2008, at the home of their daughter Raylene Worthington and her husband.
» Full Story

A doctor considered an expert in the disease that killed a 16-year-old Oregon City boy told a jury Thursday that the boy could have been saved right up to the last minute if his faith-healing parents had sought medical care.

The parents are members of the Followers of Christ Church and reject doctors in favor of faith healing through prayer, anointing with oil and laying on hands.

The church has left a trail of dead children in its wake.
» Full Story

Jury selection in the faith-healing trial in the death of 16-year-old Neil Beagley took place this week, with the trial likely to begin on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

The parents are member of a church that has left a trail of dead children in its wake.
» Full Story

How can teenage children make informed decisions if they’ve never been to a doctor, have no understanding of their condition and have been raised to reject medical treatment? Do children have the right to refuse medical care?

How much responsibility do parents have for the health of teenage children?

These questions may be answered when yet again two members of the Followers of Christ Church cult will stand trial in the death of a child
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A judge declined Monday to dismiss charges against Jeff and Marci Beagley of Oregon City, who are accused of criminally negligent homicide in the faith-healing death of their teenage son, Neil.

The Beagleys are members of a cult-like church that has left a trail of dead children in its wake.
» Full Story

In the past 25 years, hundreds of children are believed to have died in the United States after faith-healing parents forbade medical attention to end their sickness or protect their lives.

In a nation founded on the free exercise of religion, the legal system struggles with parents who act both criminally and faithfully in the deaths of their children. This paradox has perplexed courts for centuries.
» Full Story

Of course it isn’t all that unusual for a pastor to claim healing powers. Witness the blow-dried televangelists of America and elsewhere, who often advertise their dramatic healing powers in infomercials.

But in western Kenya the belief in the supernatural is far deeper, and the line between Christianity and the occult is thin at best.
» Full Story

Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

The measure would put Christian Science prayer treatments — which substitute for or supplement medical treatments — on the same footing as clinical medicine. While not mentioning the church by name, it would prohibit discrimination against “religious and spiritual healthcare.”
» Full Story

Convicted on second-degree reckless homicide charges in the faith-healing death of their daughter, the parents of Madeline Neumann today were sentenced today to probation.

Each parent will also serve 30 days in jail over the next six years.
» Full Story

Dale and Leilani Neumann, convicted in the death of their daughter Madeline Neumann, will be sentenced on Tuesday.

The Neumanns face up to 25 years in prison on second-degree reckless homicide charges, after they withheld medical treatment from their daughter in favor of attempts at faith healing. [video]
» Full Story

Detectives are investigating the death of an infant born over the weekend in Oregon. The child’s parents are members of the Followers of Christ Church in Oregon City.

Over the years, that church has left a trail of dead children as many of its members have chosen faith healing over proper medical attention.
» Full Story

U.S. Bank has filed foreclosure proceedings against Dale and Leilani Neumann in Marathon County Circuit Court, according to court records.

The Neumanns currently live in another home they own in the town of Weston.

The Neumanns were convicted of second-degree reckless homicide in separate trials this year in connection with the March 23, 2008 death of their 11-year-old daughter, Madeline Kara Neumann.

During the trials, the Neumanns said they chose to pray for the girl’s recovery from undiagnosed diabetes instead of seeking medical help. Both are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 6.
» Full Story

A man who failed to provide medical care to his dying daughter in favor of attempts at faith healing has been freed from jail after serving six days short of two months.

Carl Worthington, who treated his dying 15-month-old daughter Ava with faith healing rather than taking her to a doctor, was convicted of second-degree criminal mistreatment.

Both he and his wife Raylene had originally been charged with charged with second-degree manslughter and criminal mistreatment.

The Worthington’s are members of the Followers of Christ church — theologically considered to be theologically a cult of Christianity that has left a trail of death children its wake.
» Full Story

A Wisconsin man accused of killing his 11-year-old daughter by praying instead of seeking medical care was found guilty Saturday of second- degree reckless homicide.

Neumann’s 41-year-old wife, Leilani, was convicted on the same charge in the spring and is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 6. Both face up to 25 years in prison.
» Full Story

A central Wisconsin father charged with reckless homicide for not taking his dying daughter to a doctor told police that he believed God would heal her and that he thought she was simply sleeping when she became unconscious.

His wife, convicted of the same charge in May, testified that calling a doctor “would have shown complete disobedience” to what she and her husband believe in.
» Full Story

Dale Neumann, 47, is charged with second-degree reckless homicide in connection with the March 2008 death of his 11-year-old daughter, Madeline Kara Neumann.

A jury convicted the girl’s mother, Leilani Neumann, of the same charge in May.
» Full Story

A jury today found Carl Worthington guilty of criminal mistreatment in the death of his 15-month-old daughter, the first conviction under a 1999 state law passed to protect the children of parents who believe in treating illness solely with faith healing.

Of the dozens of children buried in the Followers of Christ cemetery since the 1950s, at least 21 died from medically treatable conditions, according to a 1998 investigation by The Oregonian.

But the Worthingtons were the first members of their church to be prosecuted for failing to provide adequate medical care to their children.
» Full Story

The judge in the faith-healing trial of Carl and Raylene Worthington sent jurors home this afternoon after they sent a note saying they were deadlocked on all charges.

The Worthingtons are charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminal mistreatment for failing to provide adequate medical care for their daughter in favor of faith healing practices.
» Full Story

The parents of Ava Worthington are members of the Followers of Christ, an independent church that shuns conventional medicine for spiritual healing practices such as the laying on of hands and anointing the sick with olive oil.

They are accused of manslaughter and criminal mistreatment in the death of their 15-month-old baby girl.
» Full Story

Its extreme, unbiblical believes regarding faith healing make the ‘Followers of Christ’ church theologically a cult of Christianity.

Parents of the cult’s latest victim — their 15-month-old daughter — are currently on trial, charged with criminal mistreatment and second-degree manslaughter.
» Full Story

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Most Read about Faith Healing

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1. Darlene Bishop wins case in court
2. Police: Girl died as parents prayed instead of seeking help
3. Friend: Religion Led to Woman's Death, Stillbirth
4. Death of child may put Oregon faith healing law to test
5. Lodi man says he can heal the sick, increase gas mileage
6. Tele-evangelist sued over God can heal claim
7. Former member of church calls group a cult
8. Curanderas offer traditional help
9. Faith, medicine collide, and a young girl dies
10. Jury Convicts Mother Who Prayed for Daughter Instead of Treating Her Fatal Diabetes

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