Parents accused of letting boy die rather than bring him to doctors

[Judi Lynn]

Source: CBS News

CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS NEWS January 4, 2017, 11:52 AM

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minnesota couple face child neglect charges following the March death of their 7-year-old son, whom officials say died of pancreatitis without medical attention because his parents had “issues going to doctors,” reports CBS Minnesota.

Timothy and Sarah Johnson, of Plymouth, were charged last week with one count each of child neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm, a gross misdemeanor, in the death of their adopted son, Seth.

According to criminal complaints, the boy died on March 30, covered in bruises, after being found unresponsive on a vomit-covered mattress. An autopsy showed the child’s cause of death was acute pancreatitis and possible sepsis.

Medical officials said the child had bruises and contusions on his cheek, forearms, chest, buttocks and lower abdomen. His legs were covered in blisters, and the boy’s weight was exceptionally low for a child his age.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-parents-accused-of-letting-boy-seth-johnson-die-without-doctors/

[angstlessk]

1. I am so sickened by this...

[niyad]

2. a misdemeanor? one count for each of them? bruises and contusions--clearly the poor child was

being beaten.

may they receive the treatment they inflicted on that poor child.

[atreides1]

16. The problem!

According to another article on this, the medical examiner couldn't rule that the actions of the parents had anything to do with his death!

That's why they've only been charged with a misdemeanor!

[elleng]

3. ;(

[Raster]

4. Obviously the only issue they had with doctors...

...was doctors discovering how badly they had abused this poor child. Throw the fucking book at them!

[yagotme]

21. Seems to be the reasonable observation...

Many books should be thrown.

[RKP5637]

5. FFS, what monsters!!! The poor child! n/t

[wordpix]

6. so many people should not be parents

Schools need to do a better job to educate teens about pregnancy, fatherhood and child rearing, since many parents won't, don't, or are terrible role models.

[Bradical79]

7. Fucking religious nuts...

The night they returned, the Johnsons found their son hardly moving and said he didn’t react when they “prayed for his health.”

Prayer is not a substitute for medicine, idiots. Also, these people have 6 other kids. Need to have all of them taken out of that home.

[nycbos]

8. Reading stuff like this makes me want to turn in my humanity card.

[still_one]

9. That is awful, and I am afraid it was an extremely painful death. Damn them

[uppityperson]

10. That's so far beyond "issues going to doctors",past neglect and into straight out abuse

[Doreen]

11. Sad, disgusting, and just horrible.

Pray for his health? Is this what Trump/Pence care will involve? This could be our future.

[LeftyMom]

12. Shit like this is why other countries won't let Americans adopt their kids anymore.

Too many religious nuts who beat their kids or worse.

[denbot]

13. I've had many Pancreatitis attacks.

I have also been shot in the abdomen. I would choose to be gut shot twice, over a single pancreatitis attack. That poor kid died a horrible death.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

14. Disgusting!

Seth’s shift in behavior began with trouble sleeping, eating — “meals would take a couple of hours,” it says — and he was throwing himself down the stairs. The boy’s parents told authorities that they didn’t take Seth to the hospital because they were concerned doctors would put the child on medications.

[Sunlei]

15. pancreatitis, poor kid he died a horrible painful slow death.

[Grins]

17. "If convicted of the neglect charges...."

If convicted of the neglect charges, both Timothy and Sarah Johnson face a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.

...dafuc...?

[niyad]

18. hey, it isn't like children actually have any worth or anything.

[ck4829]

20. Wow. That is unbelievable.

[ck4829]

19. Sickening