An Oregon couple will spend 30 days in jail for allowing their newborn son to die after rejecting medical care and relying on prayer and olive oil.
Blair Edwards, 37, and Taylor Edwards, 32, pleaded guilty Monday to felony first-degree criminal mistreatment in the death of their son, Hayden Edwards. Clackamas County Circuit Judge Michael Wetzel also ordered the parents to serve five years of supervised release, during which they must follow strict medical guidelines for their four surviving children.
The couple, members of the Followers of Christ church in Oregon City, practiced faith healing rooted in a strict biblical interpretation that rejects modern medicine. Prosecutors said church members anointed the infant with olive oil as he lay dying.
Deputy District Attorney Russell Amos condemned the couple’s choices:
“They hoped that within the hands of God, he would be OK. The state would suggest that within the hands of God, God gave us the intellect and intelligence to produce high-end medical treatment and science. And nonetheless, they put their hopes in olive oil.”
Hayden was born June 24 and began showing signs of illness within two days. He struggled to breathe, lost facial color, and stopped eating, according to CBS affiliate KOIN. An autopsy later determined he died of acute bilirubin encephalopathy from hyperbilirubinemia, a condition caused by excess bilirubin in the brain. The medical examiner could not say for certain whether treatment would have saved him.
A prosecutor told the court that Hayden’s life might have been spared if his parents had taken him to a hospital:
“He was surrounded by people who loved him very much, but those same people refused to do anything to help. Religion is no defense for child neglect, abuse, and in some cases, homicide.”
In court, Blair and Taylor Edwards expressed deep regret. Blair urged fellow church members to embrace medical care when needed:
“We cannot enforce our perspective on others in our community, however, we desire that these words will be considered… that the death of our son Hayden has provided this recognition that medical care for the purpose of preserving life is a value that we understand is important.”
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