Category: Gregory and Garnet JaLea Swezey

A recent ruling upholding a Washington state law that allows faith healing for Christian Scientists but not other religions will go unchallenged after a couple on trial in the faith healing death of their son accepted a plea.

The religious movement, considered by Christians to be a cult of Christianity, has been able to negotiate exemptions to the health laws in a number of states.

A north-central Washington couple on Thursday agreed to accept a plea deal that spares them jail time but holds them responsible for their teenage son’s death after they failed to call a doctor.

JaLea and Greg Swezey are members of the Church of the First Born, a group of churches whose extreme, unbiblical teachings regarding faith healing has resulted in the needless loss of life.

Gregory and Garnet Swezey of Carlton, Washington are on trial on charges of second-degree murder in the death of their 17-year-old son.

Their lawyer: if you ask the Swezeys what they would have done if they knew it was a ruptured appendix, and that their son was dying, “They both say, they don’t know.”

The second-degree murder trial of a faith healing couple whose teenage son died of a burst appendix is underway.

17-year-old Zachary Swezey died of a burst appendix while his parents and other members of the Church of the First Born prayed for his recovery, and failed to call a doctor or ambulance.

We have collected nearly 500 religion stories this week. Most of them we never post, but simple file instead to have information on hand should we need it.

But we have hand-selected 5 news stories from the past week that we think deserve a closer look.

A couple from Carlton, WA pleaded not guilty today to charges of second-degree murder in the death of their 17-year-old son, Zachary Swezey.

Police say Zachary died because his parents failed to call for medical assistance, and relied on prayer instead.

Parents in Carlton, WA who police say unsuccessfully tried to faith-heal their son back to health have been charged with second-degree murder.

The charges against Gregory P. Swezey, 47, and Garnet JaLea Swezey, 45, in Okanogan County Superior Court come nearly three years after Zachery, 17, died of a burst appendix at their home on March 18, 2009.