Oregon faith healing parents get 90 days jail - 3 years probation

Oregon faith healing parents get 90 days jail - 3 years probation
By: Michael Stone
The Examiner

Friday Oregon faith healing parents Timothy and Rebecca Wyland were sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years probation for refusing to seek medical treatment for their young daughter, Alayna.

Alayna was born with a growth on her eye that ended up taking over one side of her face. The Wylands refused to seek medical attention for their daughter. As a result, the Wyland's were found guilty of first degree criminal mistreatment of a child June 7.

The Wylands belong to the controversial Followers of Christ Church located in Oregon City. The church is notorious for prohibiting members from seeking medical attention, favoring prayer over medical treatment.

Alayna had an abnormal and deforming buildup of blood vessels in her left eye. The buildup, known as a hemangioma, would have left Alayna blind in the left eye if not treated. While the Wyland's daughter is now doing much better, a doctor testified during the trial that even with surgery the girl will probably have less than a 30 percent chance of regaining full vision in her left eye.

An Oregon City couple accused of denying their child medical care because of their religious beliefs has been sentenced to 90 days in jail each.

Even though the Wylands prayed over Alayna, anointed her with oil and used other spiritual rituals endorsed by their church, they failed to seek medical attention for their daughter's obvious ailment. From January to June of 2010 the couple did nothing while their daughter's condition deteriorated.

While on probation the Wylands will be expected to:

Comply with all medical recommendations of the doctors treating Alayna;

Notify the probation department of all scheduled medical appointments for Alayna and prove they attended the appointments;

Inform probation officers of any significant injury suffered by any child in their care.

The Wylands are the third Followers of Christ Church couple to be prosecuted over the past two years for failing to provide medical treatment to their children. In two previous cases, the children died.

Followers of Christ Church members have a lengthy history of children dying from lack of medical care. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's office has estimated that in the past 30 years, more than 20 children of church members have died of preventable or curable conditions.

Earlier this year the Oregon state Senate voted to end legal protection granted to parents practicing religious faith healing. The legislation ends legal protection for parents who choose faith healing to the exclusion of modern medicine in treating their children's health.

What do you think, is 90 days justice for Alayna?

I dunno, philosophically tough for me. On the one hand, i feel if the childs life is in danger as in other cases, thats one thing. But my daughter was born with a tied tongue, meaning the little slit under her tongue ran all the way to the tip, and she had a hard time eTing and wouldve had a hard time talking if we had t had it snipped. But i wonder, just for argument sake, if we had decided against it (as some parents do), how would that be much different than not doing anything abt this growth? Particularly when they say she'll only get 30% of her vision. Many parents deaf children (who themselves are deaf) decide against getting their kids implants allowing them to hear some. Some parents of blind kids opt for surgery that doesnt always work to restore a % of their vision, and others opt not to. Slippery slope

I think they were saying that at this point she will only be able to get ~30% of her vision back with the suggestion that if her parents had acted earlier the outcome would have been better.

But still, youcan see where this kind of thing could be used to for e other medical procedures, particularly where defects are involved

It's one thing to consult doctors and make the decision on what procedure is best.  Its another to deny a child any sort of medicine or medical care.

Again, i think it depends on what illness or disorder we're talking about. Idk still torn, because i can see both sides