Parents Pray, Son Dies

Thursday, June 19, 2008

filed under: family

A 16-year-old boy from a faith-healing family dies after refusing medical treatment.

Oregon teenager Neil Beagley, 16, came from a faith-healing family. So when he got ill from a urinary tract blockage that could have been easily treated, the family chose to pray rather than seek medical treatment. On Tuesday, he died.

This comes just a few months after his 15-month-old cousin, Ava, died from bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection, also untreated. Her parents, who belong to the same Followers of Christ church as Beagley's family, now face criminal charges for manslaughter and criminal mistreatment. They plan to use a religious freedom defense.

However, officials say Beagley's death (which doctors say could have been prevented by a simple catheter) might not be a crime because he is 16. Under Oregon law, minors 14 and older can decide for themselves whether or not to accept medical treatment.

Do you think his parents are to blame?

32 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

The first thing that comes to mind is wouldn’t most parents be questioning their faith if both their children died from treatable illness?

- Jon

Posted 06/19/08 03:40 PM

I have one thing to say. God made doctors to bless us with the ability to have healing. I am down for miracles, but I am also down for praying for the doctor to PROVIDE THE MIRACLE.

- SugarPlumFairy

Posted 06/19/08 04:28 PM

Yes, they are to blame!

- Anonymous

Posted 06/19/08 04:57 PM

of course the parents are to blame. they’ve brainwashed their kid into that bullshit. if they hadn’t, I highly doubt he’d forgo medical treatment because of “his” beliefs.

- Anonymous

Posted 06/19/08 05:31 PM

@Jon probably not, because god is probably just “testing their faith” or some other load of crap…

- Anonymous

Posted 06/19/08 05:32 PM

Do they use cars? Do they watch TV? I mean, I’m sure they are using other modern inventions. What’s the difference with medicine? They are brainwashed and ignorant.

- Mom007

Posted 06/19/08 05:39 PM

i don’t believe his parents are soley to blame…i blame their religious leaders for not providing them with the truth, i blame them for living in ignorance.

- stinkybrat41

Posted 06/19/08 10:38 PM

people like these make me so angry with their stupid beliefs, especially when it puts your child’s life at risk. obviously, prayers don’t work. the parents are morons who didn’t deserve to have a child…

- Anonymous

Posted 06/20/08 10:25 AM

well…. The parents are not to blame fully! I tihnk so because her beliefs are RIGHT GOD exists!! but she should’ve called a doctor! God does miracles but when they’re needed! she should’ve gone to the doctor.. but GOD EXISTS nd he heard the prayers!

- DAYANA ARRUE

Posted 06/20/08 12:04 PM

- DAYANA ARRUE

Posted 06/20/08 12:04 PM

- DAYANA ARRUE

Posted 06/20/08 12:04 PM

It is believed that Luke (one of the fellows Paul hung out with author of the book of Luke in the bible) was a doctor. God spent a lot of time and effort giving practical medical advice to the priests who were basically the doctors of Old Testament times. Much of the advice is still useful today. Like the proper handling of communicable diseases etc. All throughout the bible healing miracles where perfomed after all available medical resources had been previously exhausted. These folks who do not believe in medicine need to spend less time listening to what others tell them about what the bible says and more time actually reading it.

- Anonymous

Posted 06/20/08 06:22 PM

Religion holds back any sort of advancement in society, i dont have any sort of violent atheist views, but i cant see how religion has survived for so long after doing so much damage. Most of the world believes in a god, which i find shocking… anyone who can put up a good argument for religion should see if opinions change after looking up Richard Dawkins, sensibly and logically fighting religion and unsensical beliefs

- lisa

Posted 06/23/08 02:13 AM

If u want to take a life, take your own life. Not a child,your god will forgive you for doing that won’t he??? Give your child a life, not a death sentence, if you believe in healing you die and take the kid to the doctor.And keep your shallow beliefs to yourself. Pathetic you call yourself human your just as bad as if you’d pulled the trigger yourself.

- feebee62

Posted 06/23/08 05:44 AM

So essentially they prayed for their sons to die. As a christian myself I’m sure God would not have wanted their sons to die from a curable disease, praying for someone with an extreme case of cancer is something else entirely. I hate to say this but when their time comes they will find that the pearly gates are locked to them.

- Milander

Posted 06/23/08 06:50 AM

Parents definitely at fault.

- jr

Posted 06/23/08 07:08 AM

The silver lining of situations like this is the Darwinian death of those who would otherwise carry on these stupid beliefs.

- BD

Posted 06/23/08 08:57 AM

There is a story of a man on a rooftop, praying as the floodwaters ride. When a rescue boat comes, he says, “No, God will save me.” He drowns. When he gets to Heaven he asks God, “Why didn’t you save me?” and God replies, “I sent you a boat.” I have a feeling these parents are going to be asking “God, why did you let my child die?” and God is going to answer, “I sent you a doctor, I sent you medicine.”

- nel

Posted 06/23/08 08:58 AM

Ignorance. It is all around us. We’ve the right to do all the stupid things we have decided to do even as parents and children. Thought I don’t agree that the actions were the right ones, I’m not so quick to blame anyone because everyone has a choice even if it is one that kills us. It happens everyday just because we don’t agree doesn’t mean its the wrong way. Ignorance goes both ways. Just look at all the comments including this one. From one keyboard warrior to the next.

- ml

Posted 06/23/08 09:29 AM

Nature has a way of weeding out the stupid so they don’t continue to pollute the gene pool. Sounds like evolution, but it might just be intelligent design.

- bl

Posted 06/23/08 11:58 AM