Pa. couple sent to prison for 2nd prayer death

[alp227]

Source: AP

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A couple who believed in faith-healing were sentenced Wednesday to 3½ to seven years in prison in the death of a second child who never saw a doctor despite being stricken with pneumonia.

Herbert and Catherine Schaible defied a court order to get medical care for their children after their 2-year-old son, Kent, died in 2009. Instead, they tried to comfort and pray over 8-month-old Brandon last year as he, too, died of treatable pneumonia.

"My religious beliefs are that you should pray, and not have to use medicine. But because it is against the law, then whatever sentence you give me, I will accept," Catherine Schaible, 44, told the judge. She added that her beliefs have since changed.

The Schaibles are third-generation members of an insular Pentecostal community, the First Century Gospel Church in northeast Philadelphia, where they also taught at the church school. They have seven surviving children.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pa-couple-face-prison-after-sons-prayer-deaths

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Wait, their church is really called "First Century"? Confirms Poe's law.

[LynneSin]

1. Not only should they be jailed but they should be sterilized

Maybe that's just me.

[Common Sense Party]

2. "prayer death"??? It wasn't prayer that killed the kids. It was the idiots not getting

medical attention for their children.

Pray all you want; I do, and I have every right to.

But you also HAVE to get the kids the treatment they NEED and DESERVE.

God helps those who help themselves.

[Feral Child]

5. They prayed

Instead of obtaining medical care for their children. Have you ever seen a pneumonia death? It's ugly and painful. Their children, two in a row, died in terror, fighting for air.

They prayed. While their children suffered. Yes, these are prayer deaths; the result of ignorance and superstition.

"If prayer worked no child would die of cancer."

[Common Sense Party]

6. The prayer did not kill the kids. The stupidity and refusal to get medical attention did.

My prayers don't kill or harm anyone.

[Feral Child]

7. OK

"If prayer worked no child would die of cancer."

[Voice for Peace]

3. "She added that her beliefs have since changed. "

after it didn't work for two children.

[Feral Child]

8. I'm sure Yahweh

was just testing her faith.

Prayer will surely cure the next child.

[rexcat]

4. Much too high a price...

to pay for having such and idiotic idea that the children didn't need medical intervention. She deserves to be in prison along with her husband. Of course neither child should have died if they would have acted in a reasonable manner in the first place. At times religion can sure make people do less then intelligent things.