OREGON CITY, Ore. (RNS) As Neil Beagley lay dying on his
grandmother’s bed, his parents did not take him to a hospital or call
9-1-1 or make any lifesaving efforts, a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday
(Jan. 19).
“They did nothing because that was their belief,” prosecutor Greg
Horner said in his opening statement at the trial of Jeffrey and Marci
Beagley, the second faith-healing trial in as many years in Oregon.
The Oregon City couple is charged with criminally negligent homicide
for failing to provide adequate medical care for their 16-year-old son,
Neil Beagley, who died June 17, 2008, from an untreated urinary tract
blockage.
The Beagleys were unaware that Neil’s kidneys were failing and
believed he had the flu, their attorneys said. The Beagleys treated him
with faith-healing rituals practiced by their church, the Followers of
Christ, a nondenominational congregation with a long history of children
dying from treatable medical conditions.
Marci Beagley told police investigators “we did everything we knew
how to do” for Neil, Horner told the jury. “That’s not good enough.”
The parents’ response to their son’s plight was “an outrageous
deviation from the standard of care our community expects and demands,”
Horner said.
But their attorney, Wayne Mackeson, countered that the Beagleys did
not fail their duty as parents “in a criminal way.” The Beagleys are
caring parents who raised three daughters and mourn the loss of Neil,
their only son and “the crown prince of the family,” Mackeson said.
“There’s no evidence to suggest that Neil was in any way compromised
physically,” he said.
But Horner gave jurors a dire picture of a teenager in rapidly
failing health. Had Neil Beagley sought medical care, there was an
excellent chance he “would have led a full and fulfilling life,” Horner
said.
A key point in the case is Neil Beagley’s age. Oregon law allows
children 15 and older to independently obtain medical treatment.
“If someone gets sick at 16, they’re old enough to make their own
choices,” Marci Beagley told detectives. “Everyone knew Neil’s wishes,”
she said. “He put his trust in God.”
– Steve Mayes
Copyright 2010 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of
this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written
permission.
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posted January 20, 2010 at 10:11 pm
I hope this can and will be severely punished under Oregon law. People need to be deterred from this kind of child abuse.
Also it’s a little disturbing the son is called “the crown prince of the family” but that’s small potatoes compared to what they did to him.
posted January 21, 2010 at 1:10 pm
This mother claims they did all they knew how to for their son. When everything they did did not help him they prayed around him for Jesus to heal him. He died.
This mother and father knew doctors, and hospitals were around them and they could appeal to them to help their only son, and they didn’t do all they knew could be done for him at all. All of we religious people always pray for a healing when we take our children to doctors, sometimes they can help, sometimes though they apply everything there is in medicine they can’t. But you haven’t done all until you appeal to the men and women who have studied for years to help us with our diseases and accidents.
He might have been of age to decide if he wanted to go to a doctor for help and he decided against it, but he was a child in experience and supposedly he had responsible parents who would insist he go and be treated, but they weren’t responsible parents and he died, like so many others that follow this Churches beliefs. They need to rethink their faith and look around them at other children who lived because their parents were responsible and also faithful to their faiths beliefs.
posted January 21, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Isn’t there a saying “that God helps those who help themselves”? Well it seems that the parents felt that they didn’t need do anything at all, because their divine being would do it all! How to they justify their divine being allowing their son to die? THere is absolutely NO EXCUSE at all in this entire world for just sitting around praying while your child DIES!!!!!! Off to jail with them, and saying the kid was putting his trust in god is BS. The kid was too sick to do anything. Actually what is sad, if either of the parents gets ill, the jail (and I hope that is where they will be real soon) will get them doctors….not sit around and pray! Can’t allow them to die while incarcerated. That would be “inhumane.”
posted January 21, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Difficult case I see no murderous intent, the language of the “crown prince of the family” indicates a strong love and a value system surrounding the boy. I see no reason to “throw the book at them” but at the same time can there be a separate culture in America or are every American subjected to one culture. This religious cultural practice may have some successful similar events with the expectation that would also have the same outcome. Expectation would be crucial in this trail. That being processed I do see a crime but on what level I think deep consideration is necessary.
posted January 27, 2010 at 8:06 am
I hope these parents are convicted…it’s time a message is sent…It is unacceptable to allow a child to die because of your own personal religious beliefs. My Weimaraner fell ill with a bladder infection last Friday. He is now recovering after immediate medical care. I wouldn’t put my dog through what they put their “Crown Prince” through. I hope both parents fall to ill to multiple kidney stones. Let’s see which one of them calls 911 first. Sign me disgustedzz
posted January 31, 2010 at 5:41 pm
As sad as the outcome for Neil Beagley from the beliefs of his parents is, I think they should not be convicted.
With the death of there son Jeffrey and Marci Beagley are punished enough. Stupidity is not a crime and they may over think there crazy believes.
posted February 1, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Parents should not be allowed for make a choice between life and death on behalf of a minor child based solely on their religious beliefs.
Period.
Faiths that teach people to try to force God, Jesus or anyone else into action to save a loved one, and decry seeking treatment for medical conditions as a lack of faith on behalf of loved ones or the individual himself or herself lose members to senseless deaths like the ones suffered by the son and grandchild of these sect members.
Only once has one of my daughters been desperately ill, and I knew based on observation something was seriously wrong and that I needed to seek immediate treatment. My daughter had developed walking pneumonia and needed to start a course of antibiotics immediately.
I wonder how these parents ignore those instinctual warnings that something is seriously wrong? Do they view these as the voice of the devil tempting them to question their faith? If so, their parenting privileges for any remaining children should be revoked by the state.