Alberta Toddler's Death Shows Danger Of Unproven Remedies
- Thread starter SLM
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Two southern Alberta parents convicted of failing to get proper medical treatment for their son are appealing the court’s verdict.
David Stephan, 33, and his wife Collet, 36, are seeking to overturn the judgment, said Calgary lawyer Karen Molle.
“I have filed appeals on their behalf,” she said.
Their move joins an appeal filed Thursday from the Crown, which argues the sentences given to the couple were too lenient.
The Stephans were found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old Ezekiel in 2012. The toddler was treated with hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish and later died in hospital of meningitis.
In June, Justice Rodney Jerke sentenced David Stephan, who is 33 to jail for four months and gave his wife, Collet, 36, three months of around-the-clock house arrest — allowing her to only go out for medical appointments and church.
Both will be on probation for two years after they complete their sentences and will have to complete 240 hours of community service by 2018.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...l-conviction-in-toddler-meningitis-death.html
David Stephan, 33, and his wife Collet, 36, are seeking to overturn the judgment, said Calgary lawyer Karen Molle.
“I have filed appeals on their behalf,” she said.
Their move joins an appeal filed Thursday from the Crown, which argues the sentences given to the couple were too lenient.
The Stephans were found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old Ezekiel in 2012. The toddler was treated with hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish and later died in hospital of meningitis.
In June, Justice Rodney Jerke sentenced David Stephan, who is 33 to jail for four months and gave his wife, Collet, 36, three months of around-the-clock house arrest — allowing her to only go out for medical appointments and church.
Both will be on probation for two years after they complete their sentences and will have to complete 240 hours of community service by 2018.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...l-conviction-in-toddler-meningitis-death.html
I've had it with the CBC and sent a 'correction' notice.
Are you not using the phrase 'reached out' in the wrong context? Reaching out to someone implies a sense of need in a time of sympathy because of a tragedy that has been bestowed upon someone.
Trying to contact a company or person about an appearance at a store does not invoke a need to 'reach out. but to 'contact them'.
CBC reached out to Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but no comment was provided.
Should the above not read; The CBC attempted to contact Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but neither was available to comment.
A man who went to jail after using natural remedies to treat his son's meningitis is coming to Prince George, B.C. to promote nutritional supplements sold by his family's business — a move that is sparking controversy.
David Stephan and his wife were charged with "failing to provide the necessaries of life" after their nearly 19-month-old son Ezekiel died of bacterial meningitis.
On January 10, Stephan is scheduled to speak about "how his family members suffered from mental illness and were made well," according to a display at Ave Maria Specialities, an "alternative and holistic health service" store in Prince George.
Stephan works for Truehope Nutritional Support, co-founded by his father.
Truehope produces EMPowerplus, billed on the company's website as "natural alternative to pharmaceutical medications" aimed at treating mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD and stress.
The appearance attracted negative attention on Ave Maria's Facebook page from people concerned the store is giving a platform for Stephan to promote a message of going outside the medical system to treat medical issues.
Ave Maria owner Dave Fuller said Stephan has spoken at the store in the past and is back by request.
"He has helped a number of our customers. We had a number of people request him to come back," he said. "We didn't think that this would be an issue."
CBC reached out to Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but no comment was provided.
Father convicted of failing to provide necessities of life for son promotes nutritional supplements - British Columbia - CBC News
Are you not using the phrase 'reached out' in the wrong context? Reaching out to someone implies a sense of need in a time of sympathy because of a tragedy that has been bestowed upon someone.
Trying to contact a company or person about an appearance at a store does not invoke a need to 'reach out. but to 'contact them'.
CBC reached out to Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but no comment was provided.
Should the above not read; The CBC attempted to contact Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but neither was available to comment.
A man who went to jail after using natural remedies to treat his son's meningitis is coming to Prince George, B.C. to promote nutritional supplements sold by his family's business — a move that is sparking controversy.
David Stephan and his wife were charged with "failing to provide the necessaries of life" after their nearly 19-month-old son Ezekiel died of bacterial meningitis.
On January 10, Stephan is scheduled to speak about "how his family members suffered from mental illness and were made well," according to a display at Ave Maria Specialities, an "alternative and holistic health service" store in Prince George.
Stephan works for Truehope Nutritional Support, co-founded by his father.
Truehope produces EMPowerplus, billed on the company's website as "natural alternative to pharmaceutical medications" aimed at treating mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD and stress.
The appearance attracted negative attention on Ave Maria's Facebook page from people concerned the store is giving a platform for Stephan to promote a message of going outside the medical system to treat medical issues.
Ave Maria owner Dave Fuller said Stephan has spoken at the store in the past and is back by request.
"He has helped a number of our customers. We had a number of people request him to come back," he said. "We didn't think that this would be an issue."
CBC reached out to Truehope and Stephan to speak about the Prince George appearance, but no comment was provided.
Father convicted of failing to provide necessities of life for son promotes nutritional supplements - British Columbia - CBC News
I thought this case was a witch hunt,Alberta Toddler's Death Shows Danger Of Unproven Remedies
An Alberta toddler's death from meningitis is prompting health-care professionals to sound off on the danger of unproven, alternative medicine.
David and Collet Stephan pleaded not guilty in early March for failing to provide the necessities of life for their 19-month-old son.
Initially, the Stephans thought their son had croup, and treated him with natural remedies including ginger root, horseradish and onion.
A family friend and registered nurse testified Wednesday that she told Ezekiel's mother he may have viral meningitis.
"I think you should take him to see a doctor," she testified as having said on March 11, 2012.
Instead, the couple decided to take him to a naturopath. Ezekiel's body was so stiff from illness he couldn't sit in his car seat, and had to lie on the floor of his parents' car as they drove to pick up echinacea for him.
They did not call 911 until Ezekiel had stopped breathing. He died a few days later from a combination of bacterial meningitis and a lung infection.
Was Ezekiel's death unnecessary?
Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan believes Ezekiel suffered unnecessarily for his parents' beliefs.
"When you have a little kid who is sick, seriously sick, and a nurse tells you that it might be meningitis and you continue to pursue interventions that clearly aren’t working, you’ve got to bring that kid into a mainstream health facility," Caplan told The National Post.
David Stephan, Ezekiel's father, is an employee of Truehope Nutritional Support, a supplement company run out of Raymond, Alta. He's also the son of the company's co-founder, Anthony Stephan.
Truehope: controversial alternative medicine
Health Canada has issued warnings against Truehope a number of times for claims that its supplement, EMPowerplus, can treat bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.
In 2011, Truehope was highly criticized after a Vancouver man killed his father and attempted to kill his mother while taking EMPowerplus vitamins instead of his prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
The company's website still suggests patients with mental illness use its supplements to transition off of psychiatric medications.
Prosecutors at the Stephans' trial claimed that Ezekiel was also treated with EMPowerplus before his death, according to CBC.
Alternative medicine no replacement for the real thing
One natural health practitioner in Edmonton says serious illnesses like meningitis need be treated by someone with actual medical training.
“When it is an acute disease of any sort, I do send them to the hospital,” Dr. Harbakhash Sandhar, a practicing homeopath and medical doctor by training, told Metro News.
Sandhar said cases like Ezekiels make him worry about "Mickey Mouse homeopaths."
The Crown is not arguing that the Stephans didn't love or care for their son, but that they should have sought medical help for him much sooner, according to CBC News.
Section 215 of Canada's criminal code states that parents have a duty to provide necessities of life to their children, which includes medical care.
The Stephans are currently calling for donations on their Facebook page to help fund their court case. The pair have posted arguments that "the government" and "vaccine industry" are trying to "attack" their family in favour of a "vaccine agenda."
Alberta Toddler's Death Shows Danger Of Unproven Remedies
I know of two cases where children were sent home from emergency and passed on
This illness is fast,and if Doctors cannot properly diagnose,then how could the parents
When you look at the pictures and know this family s history,you would know this case is a very sad case of Justice gone wrong
How do you figure it was a witch hunt? You do realize the phrase 'witch hunt' was coined for framing people who effected nothing or caused nothing to happen. These people caused a kid to die. This was no whispering conspiracy, it actually happened and people were telling them to get help.
And yes you are 100% correct in if the Doctors cannot properly diagnose an issue then how could we expect the parent to do so?
Well that's the effing problem with this case isn't it. If you don't take your kids to see a Doctor, after a medical person (the Nurse neighbor) told them to and why, then how could the parents make a diagnosis and suggest a cure?
You see they are adults who are supposed to be guardians of their kids. They can make life or death decisions for themselves but the kids should be afforded every option available to survive until they become adults and then they can make life or death decisions for themselves.
"the Stephans made a conscious decision not to see a doctor "
"Any reasonable and prudent person would have taken action,
And I would like details on these 2 cases you know of where kids were sent home and as a result........
What I was able to determine as Information auditing highlighted upon,was there was inconsistencies of the administration of Justice.
These inconsistencies were fuelled or influenced by certain markers but where one lives will definitely influence the administration of law
The criminal charge of infanticide was one administrative process which had profound differences in the administration of law,
Upon briefly auditing this tragic case of this family,without a doubt a miscarriage of Justice had taken place,the crown presented as bullies
It is evident the Crown did not do their homework on Meningitis,this alone would define the so called exercise of Justice was an unreasonable act of bullying
These processs must stop,society must stop being experiments in the administration of Justice,consistency is what I advocate
In my region the chances of dying waiting for an ambulance is very high,did this family have healthcare?
The pictures of this family express lots of love
Do your homework
What influences the crown on administration can be your next lesson
These inconsistencies were fuelled or influenced by certain markers but where one lives will definitely influence the administration of law
The criminal charge of infanticide was one administrative process which had profound differences in the administration of law,
Upon briefly auditing this tragic case of this family,without a doubt a miscarriage of Justice had taken place,the crown presented as bullies
It is evident the Crown did not do their homework on Meningitis,this alone would define the so called exercise of Justice was an unreasonable act of bullying
These processs must stop,society must stop being experiments in the administration of Justice,consistency is what I advocate
In my region the chances of dying waiting for an ambulance is very high,did this family have healthcare?
The pictures of this family express lots of love
Do your homework
What influences the crown on administration can be your next lesson
The fu cking useless parents ignored traditional (proven) medicine and used untraditional (unproven) quackery with resulted in THEM KILLING THEIR CHILD. Period. As far as I'm concerned they should have been tossed in the Pen and the key thrown away.
My dad had meningitis once. It almost killed him. My cousin Jeffrey lost his little girl to the disease. It is a deadly condition. A condition that requires hospitalization and the care of doctors and nurses. These religious nuts don't need children.Alberta Toddler's Death Shows Danger Of Unproven Remedies
An Alberta toddler's death from meningitis is prompting health-care professionals to sound off on the danger of unproven, alternative medicine.
David and Collet Stephan pleaded not guilty in early March for failing to provide the necessities of life for their 19-month-old son.
Initially, the Stephans thought their son had croup, and treated him with natural remedies including ginger root, horseradish and onion.
A family friend and registered nurse testified Wednesday that she told Ezekiel's mother he may have viral meningitis.
"I think you should take him to see a doctor," she testified as having said on March 11, 2012.
Instead, the couple decided to take him to a naturopath. Ezekiel's body was so stiff from illness he couldn't sit in his car seat, and had to lie on the floor of his parents' car as they drove to pick up echinacea for him.
They did not call 911 until Ezekiel had stopped breathing. He died a few days later from a combination of bacterial meningitis and a lung infection.
Was Ezekiel's death unnecessary?
Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan believes Ezekiel suffered unnecessarily for his parents' beliefs.
"When you have a little kid who is sick, seriously sick, and a nurse tells you that it might be meningitis and you continue to pursue interventions that clearly aren’t working, you’ve got to bring that kid into a mainstream health facility," Caplan told The National Post.
David Stephan, Ezekiel's father, is an employee of Truehope Nutritional Support, a supplement company run out of Raymond, Alta. He's also the son of the company's co-founder, Anthony Stephan.
Truehope: controversial alternative medicine
Health Canada has issued warnings against Truehope a number of times for claims that its supplement, EMPowerplus, can treat bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.
In 2011, Truehope was highly criticized after a Vancouver man killed his father and attempted to kill his mother while taking EMPowerplus vitamins instead of his prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
The company's website still suggests patients with mental illness use its supplements to transition off of psychiatric medications.
Prosecutors at the Stephans' trial claimed that Ezekiel was also treated with EMPowerplus before his death, according to CBC.
Alternative medicine no replacement for the real thing
One natural health practitioner in Edmonton says serious illnesses like meningitis need be treated by someone with actual medical training.
“When it is an acute disease of any sort, I do send them to the hospital,” Dr. Harbakhash Sandhar, a practicing homeopath and medical doctor by training, told Metro News.
Sandhar said cases like Ezekiels make him worry about "Mickey Mouse homeopaths."
The Crown is not arguing that the Stephans didn't love or care for their son, but that they should have sought medical help for him much sooner, according to CBC News.
Section 215 of Canada's criminal code states that parents have a duty to provide necessities of life to their children, which includes medical care.
The Stephans are currently calling for donations on their Facebook page to help fund their court case. The pair have posted arguments that "the government" and "vaccine industry" are trying to "attack" their family in favour of a "vaccine agenda."
Alberta Toddler's Death Shows Danger Of Unproven Remedies
My Dad used to talk about a spinal meningitis case when he was in hospital with a broken leg back in 1930. He listened to a little girl screaming with the pain for four days until she died. That story still creeps me out till this day.
Look at the mess that has been created. Health stores are allowed to make claims
that don't support product. We all religious groups to get away without vaccinating their
kids or have life saving procedures cause God wouldn't like it. we have conspiracy
folks on TV selling their nonsense and we the older generation created the doubt many
younger ones now see a credible.
I am sad to say stupid, gullible and naivety is difficult if not impossible to cure.
that don't support product. We all religious groups to get away without vaccinating their
kids or have life saving procedures cause God wouldn't like it. we have conspiracy
folks on TV selling their nonsense and we the older generation created the doubt many
younger ones now see a credible.
I am sad to say stupid, gullible and naivety is difficult if not impossible to cure.
Despite saying he had been "strongly cautioned" against posting publicly, David Stephan has published another scathing tirade against the justice system, jury and judges after an Alberta Appeal Court upheld convictions against him and his wife for failing to provide the necessaries of life to their son.
"Within the current system there is no room for justice and truth, there is no humanity and there definitely is no love," David Stephan wrote
Stephan broke his silence Wednesday night after the Appeal Court upheld the convictions for him and his wife, Collet Stephan, for failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old son, Ezekiel, who died of meningitis in 2012.
A Lethbridge jury found the couple guilty in 2016.
In the online post, Stephan criticized the other judges involved in the case and the justice system, writing that the original judge erred in law.
He also said the prosecution "withheld and falsified evidence" and participated in an "elaborate coverup" during the trial.
It's not the first time Stephan has taken to social media to criticize the system.
In April 2016, he blasted prosecutors for what he described as "deception, drama and trickery."
Despite the fact the boy became so stiff he couldn't sit in his car seat, the Stephans did not call for medical assistance until Ezekiel stopped breathing. He was rushed to a local hospital but died after being transported to Calgary.
The Stephans now live in Nelson, B.C., with their three sons and are "overcome with joy," expecting another child, who was due Wednesday.
Although it is highly likely David Stephan will be allowed to remain on bail pending the outcome of the prosecution's appeal, he indicated he now has to begin serving his four-month sentence.
"I will no longer be able to be there to support my wife through the birthing process and meet the newest member of our family until I get out of jail," he wrote.
Stephan commits to speaking out more often before his final message: "Bless you all and may truth prevail!"
'No room for justice': David Stephan posts tirade after conviction upheld in son's meningitis death - Calgary - CBC News
"Within the current system there is no room for justice and truth, there is no humanity and there definitely is no love," David Stephan wrote
Stephan broke his silence Wednesday night after the Appeal Court upheld the convictions for him and his wife, Collet Stephan, for failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old son, Ezekiel, who died of meningitis in 2012.
A Lethbridge jury found the couple guilty in 2016.
In the online post, Stephan criticized the other judges involved in the case and the justice system, writing that the original judge erred in law.
He also said the prosecution "withheld and falsified evidence" and participated in an "elaborate coverup" during the trial.
It's not the first time Stephan has taken to social media to criticize the system.
In April 2016, he blasted prosecutors for what he described as "deception, drama and trickery."
Despite the fact the boy became so stiff he couldn't sit in his car seat, the Stephans did not call for medical assistance until Ezekiel stopped breathing. He was rushed to a local hospital but died after being transported to Calgary.
The Stephans now live in Nelson, B.C., with their three sons and are "overcome with joy," expecting another child, who was due Wednesday.
Although it is highly likely David Stephan will be allowed to remain on bail pending the outcome of the prosecution's appeal, he indicated he now has to begin serving his four-month sentence.
"I will no longer be able to be there to support my wife through the birthing process and meet the newest member of our family until I get out of jail," he wrote.
Stephan commits to speaking out more often before his final message: "Bless you all and may truth prevail!"
'No room for justice': David Stephan posts tirade after conviction upheld in son's meningitis death - Calgary - CBC News