Two cases involving parents who lost a child because they chose to pray rather than seek medical attention were decided in court this week.

Dale and Leilani Neumann of Marathon County, Wisconsin were convicted of second degree homicide and sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years probation for causing the death of their 11 year old daughter, Madeline, who died from undiagnosed diabetes.

The jury ruled that the parents had a legal duty to rush Madeline to a doctor after she could no longer walk, talk, eat or drink.

On the day of her death, police arrived on the scene to find Madeline, nicknamed “Kara,” lying on the living room floor surrounded by her parents and their Bible study partners who were praying over her. One member of the group called 911 when the child stopped breathing.

An autopsy later determined that Madeline died from diabetic ketoacidosis, an ailment that left her with too little insulin in her body. She had probably been ill for about 30 days, officials said, and was likely to have been suffering symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness.

The girl's parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, attributed the death to "apparently they didn't have enough faith," the police chief said.

The Neumanns, who have three other children ranging in age from 13 to 16, do not belong to any particular church, but they attend a small Bible study group.

They consider themselves to be “Bible-believing, God-believing, Holy Ghost-filled people who want to do right and be right," said a relative.

A second case unfolded in a Philadelphia courtroom this week when a judge decided that Herbert Schaibel, 41, and his wife Catherine, 40 will be charged with involuntary manslaughter and the reckless endangerment of a child after the couple allowed their two year-old son, Kent, to die of bacterial pneumonia because they chose to pray over him rather than take him to a doctor.

A medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide, saying the child could have been healed with basic medical care, such as antibiotics and aspirin.

The couple are members of the First Century Gospel Church in Northeast Philadelphia, a congregation that believes the sick can be healed through prayer rather than by medicine, according to statements the couple gave homicide detectives shortly after their son’s death.

“’We prayed to God for victory,’” Herbert Schaible said in a statement. “We were praying that he would be raised up.”

Apparently, Kent began to show signs of illness around Jan. 13 or 14, including a sore throat, liquid bowel movements, sleeplessness and trouble swallowing. The symptoms gradually worsened until his death on Jan. 24.

“When you look at this case, it’s obvious that what you have are loving parents who also appear to be misguided,” Municipal Judge Patrick Dugan told the Schaibles during the proceedings. “Your child needed medical care. As parents, that’s what you duty is, and that’s why you are here in court today.”

The couple was set free on bail and will be arraigned on Oct. 28.

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STUDY QUESTIONS 1. What does the Catechism say about our duty to take care of our bodies? (See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2288 available here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

2. What are the two sacraments of healing? (See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1421 available here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c2.htm  )

3. Is there anything wrong with asking God to heal us? (See No. 2 “The Desire for Healing and the Prayer to Obtain It” in the document “Instruction on Prayers for Healing” available here: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html)

4. What about Healing Masses and prayer groups where some members exercise a charism of healing? Are these licit and what are the rules concerning these gatherings? (See No. 5 in the “Instruction on Prayers for Healing”.)

5. Sometimes what “faith healers” really need is a healing of faith. Mother Angelica gives a thorough explanation of this in an article that can be found here: http://www.ewtn.com/library/mother/ma12.htm