Since I have been commenting on this sad case on this blog I feel like I should mention here that a jury convicted Kara Neumann’s mother for second degree reckless homicide today. Here is the first part of the story followed by two quick comments:

Jury Convicts Mother Who Prayed for Daughter Instead of Treating Her Fatal Diabetes
May 22, 2009

WAUSAU, Wis. —  A jury Friday found a central Wisconsin mother guilty of killing her 11-year-old daughter by praying for her to heal instead of rushing her to the doctor.

A Marathon County jury deliberated about four hours before convicting Leilani Neumann, 41, of rural Weston, of second-degree reckless homicide. No sentencing date was set. Neumann remains free on bond.

“We have another shot on appeal,” defense lawyer Gene Linehan said. “Obviously, there will be an appeal.”

Neumann left the courtroom clutching her husband as her three other children, looking stunned, followed. She declined comment.

Neumann’s daughter, Madeline, died of untreated diabetes March 23, 2008, surrounded by people praying for her. When she suddenly stopped breathing, her parents’ business and Bible study partners finally called 911.

Prosecutors contend a reasonable parent would have known something was gravely wrong with Madeline and her mother recklessly killed her by ignoring obvious symptoms of how gravely ill she was. During closing arguments, Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad described Neumann as a religious zealot who let her daughter, known by the nickname Kara, die as a test of faith.

“Religious extremism can be dangerous,” Marathon County District Attorney Jill Falstad said. “In this case, it was fatal. Basic medical care would have saved Kara’s life — fluids and insulin. There was plenty of time to save Kara’s life.”

Linehan countered, saying Neumann didn’t realize her daughter was so ill and did all she could do to help, in line with the family’s belief in faith-healing.

He said Neumann was a devout Christian who prays about everything and took good care of her four children.

“Religious extremism is a Muslim terrorist,” Linehan said. “They are saying these parents were so far off the scale that they murdered their child. The woman did everything she could to help her. That is the injustice in this case.”

(1) The mother did nothing to actually help her child. As a result, Kara died. That is the injustice in this case. An innocent child dying from an easily treatable illness.

(3) Extremist and terrorist are not synonymous. We make excuses for what is clearly a dangerous form of religious extremism at our peril and at the peril of other children who may one day find themselves in a similar situation. Extremism and a refusal to engage in reality-based thinking should not be excused when lives are at stake.

The jury got it right.