© 2024 Milwaukee Public Media is a service of UW-Milwaukee's College of Letters & Science
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Court Upholds Conviction of Parents who Prayed Instead of Getting Medical Care for Dying Daughter

Monkeyatlarge, Flickr

Madeline Neumann died of undiagnosed diabetes in 2008. She was 11 years old.

Her parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, were found guilty of second degree reckless homicide.

As Madeline became ill, they chose to pray for her, instead of taking her to a doctor. The girl died at the couple’s home in Weston.

On Wednesday the Wisconsin Supreme Court said the parents were properly convicted.

Attorneys for Dale and Leilani Neumann argued that state law protects parents from charges, if they choose prayer healing instead of medical care for their children. State attorneys argued that such immunity ends if a child is nearing death.

Ann-Elise is WUWM's news director.