A couple in Canada have been convicted of failing to provide their son with “the necessities of life.”
David and Collet Stephan’s 19-month-old son Ezekial died from bacterial meningitis in March 2012 and they have been found guilty under Section 215 of the Criminal Code.
According to CBC News, the jury felt that they did not provide the necessities of life when their son was ill.
They pair are not currently being held in custody and will return to court in June when a date for sentencing will be set. The website reports that the maximum penalty for this type of charge is 5 years.
Prosecutor Lisa Weich reportedly described the case as “incredibly sad” before adding that there was no question over whether the Stephans loved their baby boy.
She said: “They definitely, definitely loved their son, but as stated in our closing argument and even in our opening arguments, unfortunately, sometimes love just isn’t enough. Parents still have to follow the standard of care that is set by the criminal law.”
The couple allegedly treated Ezekial for 2½ weeks with natural remedies. When he stopped breathing, they called 911 and he was rushed to hospital. On March 18th 2012, he was declared brain dead and was taken off life-support.
The official report into the toddler’s death diagnosed him with bacterial meningitis and neurological dysfunction.
Another media outlet has also revealed that regulators will be investigating the naturopath who provided the couple with a product to treat their child during this time.
