Michigan law allows parents to risk their children's death for religious reasons
The midwife told mother Rachel Piland to take the child to a hospital because the baby could suffer brain damage or die if not properly cared for.
Rachel didnt do that. Instead, she said God makes no mistakes and insisted Abigail was fine.
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Under Michigan law, a parent cannot be considered negligent if medical treatment for a child is denied because that parent was legitimately practicing his religious beliefs. The Pilands, who say they were just practicing their faith when they killed their baby, really want the jury to know about this law.
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Yesterday, sadly, the MI Supreme Court ruled that Baird was wrong, upholding the Court of Appeals ruling. That means if the defense can show the parents were simply living out their religious beliefs, they can point to a state law that says theyre not negligent parents, therefore they should retain custody of their kids.
https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/05/24/mi-couple-who-let-baby-die-because-god-makes-no-mistakes-wins-key-court-ruling/
(after the death of Abigail, their other 2 children, and then the next baby (who also had health problems) were sent by the state to live with their maternal grandparents - the reckless parents are trying to get control of them back. I think "custody" is too generous a word for their intentions.)