An Oregon couple who prayed and rubbed olive on their dying son following a home birth rather than call 911 and seek help will continue to serve six years in prison each after a judge upheld their manslaughter conviction.
Dale and Shannon Hickman, both 30, were both convicted in 2011 of second-degree manslaughter for the death of their son, David, who died nine hours after his home birth in 2009.
The Hickman’s – members of a controversial faith-healing church in Oregon – had appealed their conviction, on the grounds that the prosecution had the burden to prove the couple knew their religious beliefs would cause the death of their child, The New York Daily News reported.
But the plea was rejected by the Oregon Supreme Court last week.
Last week a judge rejected an appeal made by the couple and reiterated that they could have done more to try and save their son.
The Followers of Christ Church has a history of rejecting medical care for children and relying on as prayer and anointing the sick with oils.
The Hickmans’ conviction on second-degree manslaughter charges typically requires a mandatory minimum sentence of six years in prison.
