CHILD ABUSE in IDAHO: Deadly & Legal
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A REPEAL BILL
ARTICLES/DATA
A FEW OF THE CHILDREN
CHILD FAITH-DEATHS IN IDAHO
HISTORY OF EXEMPTIONS
LETTERS FROM SURVIVORS
CHILD DEATHS SPREADSHEET
Q & A
PHOTOS
Do children have a right to live? An
Open Letter
to the legislators of Idaho.
Retired Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice calls for repeal of faith-based exemptions.
• In Idaho
parents have the right to deprive a child of medical care on religious grounds.
• Even when the child suffers or dies,
the state does not file charges against the parents.
• There are sects in Idaho
that routinely use only prayer and ritual when children are sick, especially the Followers of Christ.
>>read more
• Peaceful Valley Cemetery
near Caldwell is controlled by the Followers of Christ.
• At least 241
of the graves are minor children or stillborns; 161 of them died after 1971 when Idaho enacted religious exemptions to manslaughter and other crimes.
• Peaceful Valley is only one
of the cemeteries where Idaho children in anti-medical sects are buried.
>>>see photos
A Few of the Children
Details about the cause of child deaths in faith-healing sects are hard to come by, as are photographs. Mostly what we have are photos of the grave markers. Public records and in some cases the testimony of relatives have given us information on the few Followers of Christ children below. Links to autopsy or coroners' reports are included where they are available. Readers should be advised that some of the details are graphic.
>>read more
How did the religious exemptions become law in the first place?
Mostly due to the lobbying of the Christian Science Church.
Idaho’s religious defenses to felony crimes against children were passed unanimously by the legislature within four days after they were introduced in 1971. They have Christian Science code words and were called the “Christian Science amendment” by the Idaho Supreme Court and State Bar, but were written broadly enough to include all faith-healing sects.
>>read more
What can be done?
Repeal the religious exemptions to give Idaho children equal protection of the law.
Religious exemption laws have contributed to innumerable preventable deaths of children nationwide. They have encouraged parents and faith leaders to believe that the state approves of depriving sick children of medical care—that exclusive reliance on prayer and ritual for healing is not only legal but safe.
>>read more
Q & A on Religious Exemptions from Parental Duties of Care
1. Are these religious exemptions mandated by the First Amendment?
No. The courts have never ruled that freedom of religion gives anyone the right to cause or allow injury to a child. Courts have consistently ruled that freedom of belief is absolute, but freedom to act out religious beliefs can be limited by vital state interests.
>>read more…
More children die because of faith-based medical neglect in Idaho
than in any other state.
>>read more
*How to contact your Idaho legislators
*How to contact Idaho Governor Brad Little
More children die because of faith-based medical neglect in Idaho
