Judge orders state custody, medical care for Oregon faith healers' child

The Oregonian ^ | July 2, 2010 | Steve Mayes

[jazusamo]

OREGON CITY -- A Clackamas County judge ruled Thursday that a couple who belong to a church that embraces faith healing must surrender their child for failing to provide medical care.

Circuit Judge Douglas V. Van Dyk gave the state temporary custody of the child and ordered medical treatment as directed by doctors at Oregon Health & Science University.

The age and medical condition of the child were not disclosed.

Timothy J. Wyland, 44,and Rebecca J. Wyland, 23,of Beavercreek appeared in court without an attorney. The couple, members of the Followers of Christ church, seemed stunned by events and close to tears.

The 1,200-member Followers of Christ church has received extensive media attention in recent years. The church rejects secular medicine and relies on faith-healing rituals -- laying on of hands, anointing with oil, prayer and fasting -- to treat illnesses.

At least a dozen Followers of Christ members attended Thursday's hearing, including Carl Worthington, who was convicted last summer of criminal mistreatment for failing to provide adequate medical care to his fatally ill 15-month-old daughter.

Worthington served two months in jail. His wife, Raylene, was acquitted.

In a separate case in February, Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, who are the parents of Raylene Worthington, were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of their teenage son. Neil Beagley died of complications from an untreated urinary blockage. His parents were sentenced to 16 months in prison.

The Wyland case is unusual because the authorities intervened before a child died.

A petition filed by the Clackamas County district attorney's office to give the Department of Human Services temporary custody alleges that the Wylands' failure to obtain medical care resulted in serious physical injury.

"All that anybody wants to achieve is to remove that risk," Van Dyk told the Wylands.

"Is there any chance we can appease DHS and keep our child?" Timothy Wyland asked Van Dyk.

Related stories

Previous coverage of the Followers of Christ church and recent faith-healing trials.

The judge advised the Wylands to get an attorney to try to work out an agreement with the state child-welfare officials or request a trial to challenge the state's actions. The case will be reviewed at a July 22 hearing.

Juvenile court records are not public, and court hearings, while open, typically make fewer details public than hearings involving adults.

How the Wylands came to the attention of child-welfare workers is unclear. In the past, concerned relatives of church members called a DHS hotline to report medical neglect.

The Wylands also could face criminal prosecution.

"Any decision about criminal charges will not be made until the investigation is completed," said Greg Horner, chief deputy district attorney.

After decades during which Followers of Christ children died from treatable medical conditions, the district attorney's office has taken a hard line with the church. The state medical examiner's office reported that during the past 30 years more than 20 children of church members had died of preventable or curable illnesses.

Ongoing concerns about child welfare prompted Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote to send a letter to 415 church families in April.

Foote said he hoped to start a dialogue between the church and law enforcement, and reach an understanding about when parents should take their children to a doctor or hospital.

"It is not our preference to prosecute parents for failing to give their children medical care," Foote wrote. "Our first preference is to have parents take on that responsibility so that children do not die."

[FourPeas]

We really need to get rid of that pesky freedom of religion thingie.

[I still care]

I know people like this - usually when health gets really bad, the people risk the wrath of the church or god and go to an ER anyway.

For all these people to let their kids die, they must really be a dangerous cult.

[taxtruth]

No attorney = deadmeat in court.

[jazusamo]

Yep, there’s a conflict here but there’s a lot of kids in their cemetary that would be here now were it not for this cults beliefs.

There’s been plenty written about the Followers of Christ Church, especially in the last few years.

[jazusamo]

people risk the wrath of the church or god and go to an ER anyway.

I believe there's a number of them that do this with this group but there's a hardcore group that has in fact let their kids suffer and die and I truly believe they're a cult.

[AppyPappy]

You are free to do the faith healing thing. Minors are a different story.

[ViLaLuz]

Sounds like God is answering their prayers.

[FourPeas]

Parents rights?

[svcw]

This is a hard one. I was divinely healed from cancer.
However, when my daughter had a very serious issue we prayed that the doctors hands would be guided. Instead of six months in the hospital she was in the hospital three weeks, instead of a two year ordeal it was six months.
I understand where these people are coming from as far as faith healing but I also know that God wants us to use discernment. Sometimes people are healed immediately, sometimes over time, sometimes not at all.

[jazusamo]

I believe you stated that pretty well. I’m definitely not up on faith healing and religion but from what little I have read the Christian Scientists approach it from that direction. They and others basically obey the laws of the state and many states require treatment for children, Oregon definitely does.

[AppyPappy]

Parents rights don’t excuse neglect

[Dubya]

faith healing

BUNCH OF NUTS

[KosmicKitty]

I cannot understand why some people refuse the medical care that is a gift from God.

[jazusamo]

Excellent point, I can’t either.

I suppose the example I can most associate with is Polio. When I was a kid it was an epidemic. Our family knew families who lost children or that were crippled by it and nothing could be done. Then the vaccine was invented and it was a joyous thing, you might even say a gift from God because it sure has saved a lot of lives and suffering.

[KosmicKitty]

My father had an older sister he never knew because she died at one month old from one of the childhood diseases no one even gives two moments of thought to any more.

150 years ago I would have died in childbirth with my oldest son. Instead, I have 4 healthy sons & two darling granddaughters.

If everything is under God’s command, wouldn’t medical advancements be a gift to us from the Almighty. I don’t believe he stopped at the Garden of Eden.

[Persevero]

I lean towards ordering the medical intervention in clear-cut cases - because freedom of religion does not include the right to neglect someone to death - but I would keep the parents in contact. They are not trying to kill the child and so pose no risk of harm.

If it was a parent’s belief that children should be kept in a cage, or fed only cabbage, or sleep on nails, I’d be for state intervention, too.

I’d keep the line at risking severe bodily injury or death, and I wouldn’t deny contact between parents and kids.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***I cannot understand why some people refuse the medical care that is a gift from God.***

What did St Paul say?

2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

2Ti 4:11 Only Luke (the beloved physician)is with me. ..

Even St Paul had his personal physician with him!

[hennie pennie]

So what do you happen to know, if anything, about the Followers of Christ Church?

Thanks.

[muawiyah]

We've gone over that before. These people did a name change several decades back. They also have a church graveyard.

This probably reflects some sort of theological break with the Church of the First Born ~ where they do without the graveyards if they can.

None of these people believe in doctors. They should be sterilized so they can't hurt anymore kids.