OREGON CITY, Ore. (KATU) — An Oregon City couple were sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of supervised probation after failing to provide necessary medical care for their newborn son.
Blair Edwards, 37, and Taylor Edwards, 32, pled guilty to criminal mistreatment in the first degree of their newborn son Hayden, who died shortly after birth.
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The Edwards, members of the Followers of Christ church which rejects professional medical care in favor of prayer and faith-healing, must now comply with strict conditions to ensure their four surviving children receive adequate medical care.
The conditions include maintaining health insurance, regular medical check-ups, and following all medical recommendations.
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District Attorney John Wentworth emphasized the legal obligation of parents to protect their children, stating, “We have and will continue to prosecute members of this church or any other person who fails to seek necessary medical treatment for a child in their care.”
Hayden was born on June 24 and appeared healthy for 36 hours before showing signs of distress.
Despite his deteriorating condition, the Edwards did not seek medical treatment, relying instead on prayer and faith-healing rituals.
Hayden’s cause of death was determined to be acute bilirubin encephalopathy due to hyperbilirubinemia, though the cause of the condition could not be determined; meaning the newborn had a rare neurological condition as a complication of untreated jaundice in babies.
Blair Edwards expressed regret in court, saying, “We should have reached out for medical care when Hayden went into medical distress.” He urged church members to seek medical intervention for their children, acknowledging the importance of preserving life through medical care.
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This case marks the sixth prosecution of Followers of Christ church members in Clackamas County since 2008 for failing to provide adequate medical care to children, five of which involved deaths.
The state alluded to the 2011 ruling in Oregon that ended legal protections for parents who choose faith healing over medical intervention to treat their kids.
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The state also confirmed at least 20 children belonging to members of the church have died since the 1990’s due to the prioritization of faith-based healing approach over getting the help of medical professionals.