Jury gives "faith healing" mother prison time in 9 year old son's diabetes-related death

[웃 910]

Jury gives mother prison time in death

TULSA — A Tulsa County jury imposed a 2½-year prison sentence Friday night after convicting a woman of second-degree manslaughter in the diabetes-related death of her ailing son, whose treatment she believed relied upon spiritual means.

Prosecutors alleged that Susan Grady acted with "culpable negligence" toward 9-year-old Aaron Grady between June 2 and June 5, 2009, by not seeking medical treatment for him.Aaron died June 5, 2009, at his family's Broken Arrow apartment from complications of diabetes mellitus.

District Judge William Kellough set formal sentencing for June 8.

Grady, 43, who has been free on bond, was jailed after the verdict was delivered.

Defense attorney Rob Nigh, who expressed disappointment with the outcome, said he will seek an appeal bond, which would allow Grady to stay out of custody during an appeal. That matter could be taken up at the formal sentencing.

Grady did not testify.

In relying on prayer to heal her son, Grady, a member of the Church of the Firstborn, told police in 2009, "I didn't want to be weak in my faith and disappoint God."

Nigh has maintained that Grady's conduct was not unreasonable, based upon the teachings of her church.

Assistant District Attorney Ben Fu told jurors in a closing argument that the prosecution "did not put the Church of the Firstborn on trial this week."

"This case is about Aaron Grady," Assistant District Attorney Sarah McAmis said.

Second-degree manslaughter involves "culpable negligence" — an omission — to do something that a reasonably careful person would do, or failure to use ordinary care and caution in the performance of an act usually and ordinarily exercised by a person under similar circumstances and conditions.

Kellough instructed jurors that a person may be justified under Oklahoma law in not providing medical treatment for his or her child, if instead the parent, in good faith, selects and depends upon spiritual means alone through prayer, in accordance with the tenets and practice of a recognized church or religious denomination; provided that the treatment or cure is something which a reasonably careful person would do under similar circumstances and conditions.

"You don't have a right to let a child die," McAmis said.

McAmis and Fu maintained that Grady's actions were not the actions of a reasonably careful person.

Second-degree manslaughter carries a possible prison term of two to four years, or a county jail sentence not exceeding one year, a fine not exceeding $1,000, or a fine and imprisonment.

An offender convicted of second-degree manslaughter is not required to serve 85 percent of the prison time before being eligible for parole or release.

http://newsok.com/ju...3679118/?page=1

Edited May 30, 2012 by ☠

[^_^ 5,021]

You're an adult, you should be smart enough to take care of your child. Your church lied to you? Well guess what you're not 10 years old.

2 1/2 years is an outrage, this woman needs to spend the rest of her life behind bars.

[JohnR! 5,495]

1338387123[/url]' post='5408062']

You're an adult, you should be smart enough to take care of your child. Your church lied to you? Well guess what you're not 10 years old.

2 1/2 years is an outrage, this woman needs to spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Ditto.

[rika60607 215]

Was there a psychiatric evaluation? If she really believed, then her place is in a looney bin, not in jail.

Ditto.

[JohnR! 5,495]

1338387758[/url]' post='5408088']

Was there a psychiatric evaluation? If she really believed, then her place is in a looney bin, not in jail.

She was stupid. The looney bin should be for the sock. She belongs in jail.

[Danno 1,228]

You're an adult, you should be smart enough to take care of your child. Your church lied to you? Well guess what you're not 10 years old.

2 1/2 years is an outrage, this woman needs to spend the rest of her life behind bars.

IF we put in jail for the rest of her life what will we do with the parent who purposely starves or drowns her child.

She deserves serious time, the logic of such actions are indefensible.

If you want to put God to some silly test.... do it with your own life.

[JohnR! 5,495]

1338396608[/url]' post='5408434']

IF we put in jail for the rest of her life what will we do with the parent who purposely starves or drowns her child.

We should dispense the same punishment towards them.

[mawilson 2,133]

You're an adult, you should be smart enough to take care of your child. Your church lied to you? Well guess what you're not 10 years old.

2 1/2 years is an outrage, this woman needs to spend the rest of her life behind bars.

The church didn't lie. God had other plans for him. He's in a better place now.

[Danno 1,228]

We should dispense the same punishment towards them.

So in your mind a person who purposly kills a child is the same as a person who is reckless, misguided or careless?

The end result is the same so the punishment should be the same as well?

Thats not how the law works nor should it.

[JohnR! 5,495]

1338403460[/url]' post='5408759']

So in your mind a person who purposly kills a child is the same as a person who is reckless, misguided or careless?

The end result is the same so the punishment should be the same as well?

Thats not how the law works nor should it.

A parent who denies a child medical attention based on some mythological notion peddled by a church is very much misguided.

[james&olya 1,121]

The church didn't lie. God had other plans for him. He's in a better place now.

I hope this is just some sick sarcasm and not your actual opinion!!

[james&olya 1,121]

A parent who denies a child medical attention based on some mythological notion peddled by a church is very much misguided.

The thing is, you never hear about these people committing suicide by gambling their own life on such religious BS! They prefer the murder of their children instead! Where are the 'right to life' people on this?!

[Danno 1,228]

The thing is, you never hear about these people committing suicide by gambling their own life on such religious BS! They prefer the murder of their children instead! Where are the 'right to life' people on this?!

You are just wrong, wrong, wrong.

You are basing those thoughts on news reports.

If this same lady had cancer and trusted God to heal her rather than have the spots removed from her skin.... do you think we would hear about it?

It's only a story when something like this happens.

I saw a story today about a Snake-handler who was bit during a church service and died.

[mawilson 2,133]

I hope this is just some sick sarcasm and not your actual opinion!!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So in your mind a person who purposly kills a child is the same as a person who is reckless, misguided or careless?

What tells you that this women was merely careless or misguided? Maybe she killed her child just with just as much purpose and determination as the mother who drowned her child. It's just that this one uses the mantle of religion to justify her depraved acts. I'm a parent and I don't for a second buy this "God told me" #######. When you sit by idly while your child dies over the course of several days, that's the very definition of depraved indifference not just towards human life but towards your own child's life. That's as sick as it gets.