A couple from Michigan were sentenced to prison on June 11 for the death of their newborn, who died from a treatable condition that they chose to treat using faith-based healing. Joshua and Rachel Piland will serve 20 to 45 years in prison after their infant Abigail died in 2017, according to WLNS.
Videos by Suggest
Newborn Died 3 Days After Birth After Parents Chose Faith-Based Healing
The court sentenced the couple for second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse. This comes after their newborn died three days after her birth eight years ago. Their daughter died due to jandice-related symptoms. Doctors discovered she died due to a high level of bilirubin in her brain, per PEOPLE.
Instead of seeking medical attention for their newborn, the couple chose faith-based healing. This is despite their midwife warning the couple that their infant was jaundiced. At the time of her birth at home on February 6, Abigail seemed like a healthy girl. Midwife Sandra MicCurdy confirmed this with police.
Suddenly, one day later, McCurdy noticed that the infant’s skin was turning yellow. “The mother responded that they would not be seeking medical assistance because Abigail was fine and ‘God makes no mistakes,'” said an application for leave to file appeal from 2018.
Abigail passed away the next day. The couple resorted to calling friends to have them help pray for their baby to be “resurrected” instead of informing the authorities. Once Rachel’s brother found out that his niece was dead later that night, he contacted the police.
According to Lansing Police Officer Stacey Browe, the couple and their friends were still praying for the daughter once she arrived at the home. This was over nine hours since the newborn’s death.
Couple Stood Behind Decision To Pray For Daughter Instead Of Treating Her
Even after the failed “resurrection” attempts, the parents continued to defend their decisions. “The next day the father told police that he believes God will heal any medical issues and they will ‘walk it out,” it read.
Joshua told police he wouldn’t have done anything different. He said he would rather put his daughter’s life in the “hands of my Lord Savior Jesus Christ” instead of in the most skilled doctors’ hands.
The couple also told CPS that “they chose to ‘believe in the word of God over the symptoms.'” They also believed that “any medical condition that cannot be controlled with basic first aid is left in the hands of God.”
Eight years have passed since this horrifying incident, and a lot has changed. CPS removed the parents’ two oldest children from their custody. Rachel has also given birth two more times since then, although CPS removed both children from her custody.
The parents remained defensive till the very end. They now remain in Ingham County Jail and will serve a minimum of 20 years up to a possible 45 years.