The Wausau area parents convicted of choosing prayer over medicine as their daughter died from diabetes last spring will be sentenced today. Dale and Leilani Neumann of Weston face up to 25 years in prison. But faith healing expert Shawn Peters doesn’t think the judge will impose the maximum.
Jurors convicted the Neumanns separately this year of refusing to take 11-year-old Madeline Kara to a doctor as her condition got progressively worse. Peters, author of the 2007 book, When Prayer Fails: Faith Healing, Children and the Law, says Judge Vincent Howard’s decision will set a precedent.
The Neumann’s three surviving teenage children may also factor into Howard’s decision. Peters says Howard’s sentence will try to reflect the community’s opinions but that will be difficult since the case is so controversial.
WSAU’s Matt Lehman submitted this report