Madeline Neumann is dead. She was just eleven years old. Her death was not the result of a car accident caused by a driver under the influence or of a tragic accident. She died at the hands of her unscrupulously pious parents and their failure to ensure treatment for a very real (but completely treatable) medical condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. The condition left Madeline's body in an insulin deficient state and as she began to suffer she would have displayed a number of hard to ignore symptoms including excessive thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Despite Madeline's condition the Neumanns played it cool, turning the entire issue over to the healing abilities of God. Madeline Neumann is dead.

After the death of their daughter most people would expect to find the Neumanns broken and consumed by a sickening sense of guilt, wishing more than anything that they could go back and live again the days leading up to their daughter's death. Guess again. Dale and Leilani Neumann (Madeline's parents) not only placed the health and life of their daughter in the hands of God but also seem pretty comfortable placing the consequences of their gross dereliction of parental responsibility in the same hands. Leilani Neumann made it clear after their daughter's death that only their faith in God is giving them strength. What arrogance!

Interestingly, Dale Neumann did perform CPR on Madeline "as soon as the breath of life left" Madeline's body. What a guy! What is truly ironic about his performing CPR is that up until that moment he didn't seem particularly concerned with Madeline's deteriorating condition. One has to wonder why he (a man who had ignored his daughter's suffering up to the point respiratory failure) suddenly felt moved to engage in a crude but potentially life saving medical procedure after having ignored medical care (not to mention reason) during the week leading up to her death. Scarier still is that the Neumanns aren't "howl at the moon crazy." They don't belong to an organized religion that shuns medical care nor do they align themselves with people who are blatantly distrustful of doctors. In fact according to the Neumanns they didn't have anything against doctors at all. Wonderful, but the next step is actually utilizing them when your 11 year old child is slipping into a coma. The fact that the Neumanns don't have anything against modern medicine gives way to loathing them more, not less. The weren't anti-medicine and yet still their little girl is dead because they did not seek out medical care.

As a result of Madeline's death there will be an investigation. Some of the Neumann's extended family (and on behalf of Madeline) attempted to intervene but their efforts--while practical and entirely appropriate--did not in the end save Madeline's life. Dale and Leilani aren't too worried about the investigation however because again they have put that in God's hands. "We know we did not do anything criminal. We know we did the best for our daughter we knew how to do," stated Lielani Neumann.

No, they didn't. They ignored the suffering of an 11 year old child who needed her parents to love and protect her and to make sure she received medical care. They employed 14th century faith in the face of 21st century medicine and they don't seem the least bit phased by the stupidity or cruelty of such an act. God did not fail Madeline Neumann. Conversely the parents God trusted with the care of this child failed spectacularly.

Had Leilani and Dale Neumann failed to provide food, water, or shelter, they would have been jailed for neglect. Had they physically abused her (and here one could argue that they did) their children would have been removed from their home. In this case failing to provide medical care is no different.

Madeline Neumann was robbed of a life. She won't get the chance to develop her own beliefs nor will she be able to decide what--if any--faith she might have wanted to practice. She died not because every attempt was made to keep her alive and because those attempts failed. She is dead because no attempt was made and when nothing is attempted, failure is a rather predictable result.

Dale and Leilana Neumann have other children. First let's all get together in hopes that the remaining children don't catch a cold or begin to develop a staph infection requiring even rudimentary medical care. But let's also hope that their living children are removed from their care and that future parental visits occur in a setting which requires visitors to sign in and have their belongings searched.

There is no good here, no big picture moral lesson. And this isn't just about the abuse of faith. This is about parents not protecting their child and about the result of that failure. Dale and Leilani Neumann should be ashamed of their inaction and of their failure to protect and provide for their child. Belief in God does not give parents the right to ignore a child's suffering in favor of clumsily fobbing off that responsibility in the name of any faith.

Madeline Neumann is dead. A death caused by deplorable parents and their silly beliefs that led to murderous neglect.

-Drew

http://acynicsresponse.blogspot.com/2008/03/death-by-faith.html

I wrote this article after reading about Madeline in a story that made its way to the AP wires. She lived in Wisconsin at the time of her death which was several weeks ago.

-Drew

All,

I did not see that this story had been posted by another member at the time I posted mine. I've commented on that post and let the author know that if either he or the mods feel like this is too much duplication, I'll be happy to remove mine. I'm sorry for the redundancy--I did more of an op/ed on the event but I wasn't trying to be purposefully duplicative.

-Drew

I was raised to believe that most illnesses will run their course in three days, and if after three days the illness doesn't leave, see a doctor.

I live by it pretty much. It holds merit.

But some things are too severe to wait three days.

I see a gray area in this tragic loss and the events leading up to it.

I may not always have medical insurance, but my children do. And knowing that the doctors mean well and and that I do too, means that making an informed decision is wiser than making an uninformed guess.

Not all have the means to provide such a stop gap.

Ity appearts to me that they did what they could. The story does not lead me to believe that the parents were making excuses for themselves by trusting in God for health and healing. They share that they took this to God first. But they did not further seek to enlist professional help for added assurance.

There is a gray area in the story that serves as a lesson to us all, and it is not the first story, nor the last that we shall hear of such tragedies.

We can all learn from all judgements being made for another that is dependent upon our will and care.

Do all things that something may prosper.

If we do nothing, nothing happens.

In this case, doing nothing meant that a life was shortened that could have been avoided. Nothing happened to the good in the personal sense for the child that suffered from the condition.

It is also very tragic to embrace the hurt of the parents.

That pain may last a lifetime. That also is tragic and sad.


BUt witnessing how fast American medical professionals can spend 200,000 bucks in the blink of an eye is a formidable reason for anyone to give pause in relying too quickly on doctors. I am not excusing the actions of the parents, only leaving open the judgement that money and its availability and access to is steep for most today and getting to be a steeper hill to climb, in any case.

Tragic. Sad. Sorrowful. Heartbreaking Tragedy.

Drew,

I think this on makes #4 . no worries because it's very hard to keep up with what's been done and what hasn't. maybe you can post the other lnk in here and suggest people reply over there? it's silly to expect anyone to go through every old thread to see if the topic is done...

I respect your opinion but don't understand how you can reach the conclusion that they appear to have done what they could. By all accounts Madeline would have been showing sings and symptoms of being ill for at least a few weeks and then she began to slip into a coma. That she had family members (uncles and aunts) calling EMS and law to try to get help seems to me an indicator that they were ignoring her symptoms. Now, I hear you about the cost of medical care, but again that is no excuse. I work for a hospital (a very small one) who last year gave over 2.1 million dollars to "charity care" in other words, those who could not pay. This little girl needed insulin not a double bypass.

And I did judge them but on behalf of children. The legal system should as well (render unto Caesar....) in that they did not provide basic care for their daughter.

I agree with you that this is sad, tragic and all of the words one can conjure up to describe the ordeal. What is tough is that it was preventable.

Turn over things to God??? Fine, no issue but did it not dawn on them that much like God gave the water for thirst, and food for hunger that he might have provided medical experts for, medical situations?

-Drew

from my upbringing in the church....i was taught that God gives the knowledge to doctors etc. what is that saying "God helps those that help themselves"? i believe in this case it does apply

Ketosis can set in without warning.
A person may even seem to be doing fine, right before going into ketosis.

That is the tragedy here... the girl appeared to be doing ok right before this happened......and so therefore, the parents did know realize the severity of her condition.

I hadn't heard all of the details. I recollect only that she was very ill for a few days.

It is sad and if only for the need if insulin, very tragic indeed.

Some of my oldest friends have succumbed to vital organ failure as a result of their diabeteds, but not until later in life. How sad.

Sometimes, I wonder how I have survived some accidents I have been involved in. I am still feeling the damage from one long fall.

One car wreck should have killed, yet being a passenger in the middle of the backseat of a car hitting a tree while on two wheels should have, it didn't. That one really amazes me still.

Both of those in my teens. Nothing compared to the little children that tragically suffer the loss of their young lives.

very sad.

((( )))

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,341574,00.html

WESTON, Wis. — An 11-year-old girl died after her parents prayed for healing rather than seek medical help for a treatable form of diabetes, police said Tuesday.



Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said Madeline Neumann died Sunday.

"She got sicker and sicker until she was dead," he said.

Vergin said an autopsy determined the girl died from diabetic ketoacidosis, an ailment that left her with too little insulin in her body, and she had probably been ill for about 30 days, suffering symptoms like 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.

They believed the key to healing "was it was better to keep praying. Call more people to help pray," he said.

The mother believes the girl could still be resurrected, the police chief said.

Telephone messages left at the Neumann home by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The family does not attend an organized church or participate in an organized religion, Vergin said. "They have a little Bible study of a few people."

The parents told investigators their daughter last saw a doctor when she was 3 to get some shots, Vergin said. The girl had attended public school during the first semester but didn't return for the second semester.

Officers went to the home after one of the girl's relatives in California called police to check on her, Vergin said. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The relative was fearful the girl was "extremely ill, dire," Vergin said.

The girl has three siblings, ranging in age from 13 to 16, the police chief said.

"They are still in the home," he said. "There is no reason to remove them. There is no abuse or signs of abuse that we can see."

The girl's death remains under investigation and the findings will be forwarded to the district attorney to review for possible charges, the chief said.

The family operates a coffee shop in Weston, which is a suburb of Wausau, Vergin said

found the article

after 3 days....not 30 i would have sought medical help

Sadly, there are some folks out there, who walk in utter foolishness, and call it walking by faith .

God is NOT a God of foolishness, and God also gave man a brain too..obviously to use.

Said this before.... everyone needs to read a book called "Faith or Foolishness".

but doesn't it also have to do with the separatio of church and state? faith alone and not seeking medical help can be child abuse or neglict

Correction:

Meant to say Ketoacidosis , not ketosis.....

I have lived around people who believe such my entire life. True faith requires sacrifice. If you love your "GOD" then you are willing to make great sacifices.

True Christians do not feel they are making a sacrifice.....simply because there is a willingness and a joy in the decision to follow Jesus...therefore, it is not considered a sacrifice at all.

But sacrifice has nothing to do with the tragedy that took place.
The tragedy was a result of sheer foolishness... a grave mistake was made.....because of a foolish misinterpretation of the Word of God.

Faith and Foolishness are NOT the same.

That was a great summary, Morning Song. The things people do and then pin the blame on God for their own ignorance of the Word! No wonder Christianity has a black eye. So many people lump everyone who believes in God into one. Heck...even the devil believes in God!

God and Jesus either heals the sick or they don't ..what good is faith in God if there is no faith that God will heal ..if God doesn't heal then isn't it a reason why in his Divine plan so isn't going to a Doctor an indication that you actually have no faith in God or faith in his Divine plan ..

it is said that they are no "atheists" in a fox hole ...so do that means that there are no "believers" in the hospital

So where is the line? Is going to a grocery store an lack of faith that God will just "bring" you food? Is wearing a seatbelt lack of faith that God will protect you should you hit an 18 wheeler at 70 mph? Is wearing a life preserver lack of faith when out boating for the day?

To be sure God asks people to have faith. But presumably he motivates some minds to practice the art of medicine. Those folks could have helped this girl. Again, she needed insulin, something we all HAVE to have to live.

No, it's not showing a lack of faith if a person goes to the doctor--it does however (in this case) show a lack of common sense. If God wanted people to ignore minor medical issues like this then kids the nation and world over would be dying of the simplest things--and for no good reason at all.

-Drew

I second that!