A Youngster's Needless Suffering and Death
Dale Neumann was convicted on Saturday of second degree reckless homicide. His wife was convicted of the same charge a few months ago. Both face up to 25 years in prison.
The Neumann's had relied on prayer rather than seek medical care for their gravely ill 11 year old daughter Madeline--even when her condition had deteriorated to the point where she couldn't walk, talk, eat or speak.
It sounds like Madeline had lapsed into a diabetic coma. To survive, she needed treatment with insulin and fluids
I can't understand how a parent, no matter how devout, can shun medical assistance for such serious illness. I am a nurse. One of my kids has been diabetic since childhood. I've witnessed hyperglycemia emergency/ diabetic coma and it's not a pretty sight.
Unfortunately for Madeline, her parents depended solely on God to heal her.
The sad outcome was Madeline's condition worsened, eventually she stopped breathing and died on March 23, 2008 of undiagnosed diabetes.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Neumann testified that he believed God would heal his daughter
and he did not expect her to die.
"If I go to the doctor, I am putting the doctor before God," Neumann testified.
"I am not believing what he said he would do."
Such was Dale Neumann's reasoning? He let his daughter suffer horribly and die as a test of faith?
That's appalling and tragic.
