Two Mormon parents who own a nutritional supplement company are accused of letting their toddler son die from meningitis because they tried to treat him with home remedies instead of medicine.
David and Collet Stephan have pleaded not guilty to charges that they failed to provide the necessities of life to their 19-month-old son Ezekiel, reported CBC News.
Prosecutors in Alberta, Canada, say the couple did not call an ambulance until the boy stopped breathing and instead fed him supplements with an eye dropper and lay down with him.
Collet Stephan, 35, told police that a friend told the couple their son had meningitis — inflammation caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
She said they tried to boost the boy’s immune system by feeding him with olive leaf extract, whey protein, water with maple syrup and juice with frozen berries.
They finally fed the boy, who was becoming stiff and lethargic after two weeks of illness, a mixture of apple cider vinegar, horseradish root, hot peppers, onion, garlic and ginger root.
The child was airlifted to a hospital after he stopped breathing, and doctors removed him from life support after five days.
Prosecutors played recordings during the couple’s trial of Collet Stephan describing their attempt to treat the boy.
The 32-year-old David Stephan and his wife operate Truehope Nutritional Support Inc. from their home in Raymond.
Health Canada unsuccessfully tried in 2004 to stop the company from distributing its supplement Empowerplus, which the couple claims can manage mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder.
The government did issue warnings about the supplement — which prosecutors say the couple gave to their dying son.
Prosecutors told the court the couple loved their son and were not accused of ignoring or killing him, but they said the parents should have sought medical assistance sooner.
David Stephan has said he believes the government is prosecuting the couple to force parents through the courts — instead of through legislation — to vaccinate their children.
He argues that no evidence shows Ezekiel’s death would have been prevented if he had been given the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
Empowerplus, which is basically a mixture of vitamins and minerals, was developed by Truehope, a company founded by David Stephan’s property manager father, Anthony Stephan, and a salesman friend, David Hardy.
Critics say the Stephan’s claims about the supplement are not backed by reliable scientific testing.
David Stephan complains in social media posts that these critics are conspiring to keep them from raising money for their defense though online fundraisers.
If convicted, the couple faces a possible five-year prison term and the loss of their other children.
I don't understand how they could watch him die and not try something that might work. Obviously what they were doing wasn't working so they do deserve jail time. It's awful that they didn't vaccinate him but criminal that they didn't seek help when they could have.
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“Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.” ― Julia Child ―
I thought they got a meningitis shot early? Here they are running commercials for booster shots in high school and college.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Well....technically this is about medical treatment, not vaccinations. Most kids don't get a meningitis vaccination until they go off to college.
This particular couple don't vaccinate and don't use modern medicine on their kids. So, their anti vaxxer belief system lead to this fatality.
Yes. I do realize the two go hand in hand. But even if they did vaccinate, the absolute earliest would have been age 11 for this vaccine, and most don't bother until they are going off to college.
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LawyerLady
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