[nukkad] This event happened in NZ, Any comments?

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Parents found guilty of baby's manslaughter
06 June 2002

Six-month-old Caleb Moorhead did not need to die, the policeman who brought 
Caleb's parents to court on manslaughter charges said today.
Dargaville couple Roby Jan Moorhead, 45, and his wife Deborah Anne Moorhead, 
34, were each found guilty today by a High Court jury in Auckland of the 
manslaughter of their son by failing to provide the necessaries of life.

The couple had refused to allow doctors to treat Caleb because of their 
religious beliefs as Seventh Day Adventists.

Caleb died on March 29 last year from broncho-pneumonia associated with 
anaemia and brain damage caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12.

Caleb was taken to Starship Children's Hospital but his parents fled with 
him from the hospital and went into hiding in south Auckland a fortnight 
before he died.

The court heard they were told several times by a doctor that Caleb needed a 
range of diagnostic tests. He had profound anaemia and significant shrinkage 
of the brain.

However, the couple refused to let doctors treat Caleb, saying God and 
herbal remedies would save him.

During the trial the jury was told that Mrs Moorhead had told an 
interviewing policeman conventional medicine was "Satan's way."

Both were remanded in custody by Justice Harrison for sentence on June 13.

The policeman who headed the search for Caleb and the homicide inquiry said 
after the verdicts today the infant's death was needless.

"It has been a pretty tragic case and it was a totally avoidable situation," 
Detective Sergeant Chris Scahill said.

"Caleb did not need to die," he said minutes after the jury returned the two 
guilty verdicts.

He said the verdicts sent a clear and strong message to those with a similar 
attitude towards caring for their sick children.

"I think it sends a pretty strong deterrent message: should you take this 
course of action, you are going to face the consequences. We have medical 
professionals for a reason and we have laws for a reason. That was 
graphically shown here today."

Mr Scahill said the couple's strong, deeply-held and impenetrable religious 
beliefs blinded them to the plight of their sick child.

He said the guilty verdict might be a timely reminder to those with similar 
beliefs to examine those beliefs in relation to the medical care of their 
children.

"If this prevents anybody else from taking the same course of action then 
the case has been worth it."

Mr Scahill said after the Moorheads went into hiding with Caleb police 
identified a cellphone tower through which several cellphone calls the 
Moorheads had made had been routed.

However, the tower encompassed a radius which included at least 2000 houses.

"The logistics of trying a house-to-house search was always going to be 
difficult but before we could even embark on that course of action, Caleb 
died."

He said police were marshalling their resources for such a search but it 
would have taken at least two days.

Mr Scahill said the case was particularly emotional, especially for the 
police officers with children.

The Moorheads showed no emotion when the verdicts were delivered.

Roby Moorhead asked Justice Harrison for the court's indulgence to grant 
bail.

However, the judge refused.

"I have discretion in this area and I exercise that discretion against you," 
he said.

The judge said it was a serious charge and he was satisfied a term of 
imprisonment of longer than two years was justified.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,1225541a11,FF.html

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