Parents who just prayed as child was dying charged with murder

Apr 30 2008

The parents of a diabetic girl in the U.S. who died as her parents prayed for her recovery rather than seek medical help, have been charged with second-degree reckless homicide.

Madeline Kara Neumann an 11-year-old Wisconsin girl, was denied medical intervention by her parents, even when it became clear that she was desperately ill.

The parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann did not take the child to a hospital for treatment, because they thought that she was under a "spiritual attack," and her condition was a "test of faith."

The County District Attorney says the child's death could have been prevented.

According to the autopsy report Madeline died of diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes. Diabetic ketoacidosis is caused by the buildup of by-products of fat breakdown, called ketones. This occurs when glucose is not available as a fuel source for the body, and fat is used instead.

People with diabetes lack enough insulin, a hormone the body uses to process glucose (a simple sugar) for energy. When glucose is not available, body fat is broken down instead. The by-products of fat metabolism are ketones. When fat is metabolized, ketones build up in the blood and "spill" over into the urine. A condition called ketoacidosis develops when the blood becomes more acidic than body tissues.

Madeline's diabetes had apparently never been diagnosed, and only when she stopped breathing did her parents then called an ambulance. Madeline died upon reaching the hospital.

The Neumanns other three teenage children have been taken from them; Madeline was the youngest.

The Neumanns are said to have ties to the Unleavened Bread Ministries, a little-known sect with an online site that rejects modern medicine in favour of prayer.

The alarm was first raised by an aunt who was concerned for the child and county officials were already on their way to the Neumanns' home when the emergency call was received.

Relatives had attempted to intervene regarding the child's condition with little success.

If convicted both parents, who are due to appear in court this week, face up to 25 years in prison.