200 Children Have Died Due to Faith

Most pediatric research takes place in a medical or scientific setting such as a clinic or lab. But one postdoctoral fellow in forensic pediatrics is more likely to conduct his work in a cemetery. Seth Asser, M.D., studies the deaths of children due to medical neglect on religious grounds.

In the past 15 years, more than 200 children have died in the United States because their parents relied exclusively on faith to heal them. The children died of treatable ailments such as diabetes or dehydration.

“Typical parents cannot relate to this topic because it is so unbelievable,” said Asser. “But freedom of belief doesn’t allow you to throw away a young life.”

Nicely stated. The linked article later states: There are “many laws that allow parents to deprive their children of various kinds of health care on religious grounds,” said Swan. “The religious exemption laws are a rare example of discrimination de jure: laws that deprive one group of children of protections afforded to others.”

Many cases of religiously motivated medical neglect never become public due to cover-ups, lack of investigations and poor record keeping, Asser said. His most recent findings provide bone-chilling evidence that some individuals and groups look outside of medicine for healing illness and disease.

It is long overdue for laws to be changed that explicitly prohibit parents from not seeking medical attention and treatment for their children. I don't care what make-believe sky daddy they believe in and I don't care if they think that medically treating their offspring will anger said sky daddy.

My screed above was awkwardly worded, as Bob so kindly pointed out in the comments, so I'm re-writing it:

It is long overdue for laws to be changed! Specifically, those laws that permit parents to avoid seeking medical attention and treatment for their children in lieu of prayer. I don't care what make-believe sky daddy they believe in and I don't care if they think that medically treating their offspring will anger said sky daddy.