27 July 2009. A 15-month-old girl died of pneumonia as her parents, grandparents, and church members prayed over her and anointed her with olive oil. The state medical examiner said she could easily have been saved with antibiotics.* The parents, Carl Brent Worthington and Raylene Worthington were found not guilty of manslaughter, however, and avoided up to six years in prison. Carl was found guilty of criminal mistreatment, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of a year in jail. The trial was the first under a 10-year-old Oregon law that bars legal defenses based on religious practices in most abuse cases. The law was a response to previous deaths among young members of the Followers of Christ.

The trial was the first under a 10-year-old Oregon law that bars legal defenses based on religious practices in most abuse cases. The law was a response to previous deaths among young members of the Followers of Christ.

The prosecution said Ava Worthington failed to flourish through most of her life because of a cyst on her neck that impeded her breathing and eating, contributing to her fatal pneumonia.
She died on a Sunday evening after family and church members prayed over her and anointed her with olive oil.

The magical power of olive oil. Why not a talismanic amulet. The delusion should not stop with a three dollar bottle of olive oil,

Their first witness, Ava Worthington’s grandmother, said the child she saw during February and early March 2008 was healthy, strong, well-fed and “nicely round.” In fact, Julie Worthington, Carl Brent Worthington’s mother, told the jury that Ava only seemed to be teething and had a runny nose and some slight chest congestion, right up until the hours before she died.

But she doesn’t mention the baseball size lump on the child’s neck.  Witnesses testified last week that when

Ava died her height and weight more typical of a four- to six-month-old child. Her growth pattern was “catastrophic

Julie Worthington told the jury that Ava’s death was a shock to everyone who had gathered at the home that night to fast and pray for her recovery. Breaking down with emotion, she recounted how Ava played for several minutes on her parents’ bed before lying on her side next to her mother. “She was showing very good signs,” Julie Worthington said.

Then, at about 7:15 p.m., Raylene Worthington grabbed the child and shouted that she had stopped breathing. Family members rushed to her side, but Ava had died.

Prosecutors contend the Worthington's underfed their child for months and failed to call 9-1-1 when Ava stopped breathing. Ava's mother testified that she did not call 9-1-1, or ask anyone to call 9-1-1, because she was so upset: "She was doing so much better that it really shocked me," Raylene said. "I don't even think I could think right then, you know."

Guy Worthington, the dead child's grandfather, said that calling a doctor shows "a lack of faith." "Jesus Christ almighty can cure anything," Worthington said.

 I can think of many things to say about the Worthington’s including very bad name calling. I can sum it up in one sentence.  The entire Worthington family ceased   being HUMAN. 
 

They have now created a web site. You would think after such a horrific tragedy they would have learned a valuable lesson in life. Instead they hired lawyers to confirm they have rights under Constitutional law to justify a religious belief that contributed to the death of there innocent child.     Oregon Constitutional Protections for free exercise of religion http://www.worthingtondefense.info/index.html

Religious belief can be seen as a focus exclusively on ideas and religious practices. I have no problem with religion or anyone who believes in it. But there is no justification regardless of what you believe or how strong your belief is. The Worthington’s lack of modern medical care for the child I find grossly offensive to decency and morality. This is yet another example of why many religious beliefs do not have rational justification, because they require a person to believe something without having proof of its existence .Religious faith should be put in the same category as belief in superstitions, fairy tales, and delusions of all varieties

The state alleges that during a ten-year period twenty-five children perished due to the lack of medical intervention — a death rate 26 times higher than among the general population.[2] An investigation by The Oregonian claimed that at least 21 out of 78 minors found to be buried in the church cemetery died of preventable causes, including simple infections which would be easily treated with routine antibiotics.[

One other question: How many adults are buried in the church cemetery along with the 78 children? Why are all the adults living and many of the children dying?

Do they secretly seek medical attention? Or do they live longer as the power of belief   increases with age.

The very sad part is we will hear things like. They didn’t pray hard enough. Or the prayers were heard, but not answered. And my answer to that nonsense would be. Only in religious faith do you find a safe haven for child abusers.