Parents' Prayers Could Not Save Daughter

Investigation Launched Into 11-Year-Old's Death From Treatable Diabetic Condition

(CBS/AP)  Police are investigating an 11-year-old girl's death from an undiagnosed, treatable form of diabetes after her parents chose to pray for her rather than take her to a doctor.

An autopsy showed Madeline Neumann died Sunday of diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that left too little insulin in her body, Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said.

She had probably been ill for about a month, suffering symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness, the chief said Wednesday, noting that he expects to complete the investigation by Friday and forward the results to the district attorney.

Vergin says they're still just beginning to determine if the course of action the parents took was reasonable, or if more could have been done to save their daughter, reports CBS News affiliate WSAW-TV in Wasau.

"Our job is to determine the facts and send them to the District Attorney," said Vergin. “If there were criminal charges, it would likely be negligent homicide, but we're far from that point yet."

In a posting on the Web site, UnleavenedBreadMinistries.org, David Eells that he was contacted by a ministry elder Saturday, March 22 saying Dale and Leilani Neumann requested that he pray for their daughter, Madeline

Eells says he called them that night, the first time he had spoken to the Neumanns outside of a few e-mails over the past few years.

Also in the posting, Eells says the Neumanns told him the girl started getting sick in the past day - not over the course of 30 days, reports WSAW-TV.

Leilani Neumann said that she and her family believe in the Bible and that healing comes from God, but that they do not belong to an organized religion or faith, are not fanatics and have nothing against doctors.

She insisted her youngest child, a wiry girl known to wear her straight brown hair in a ponytail, was in good health until recently.

"We just noticed a tiredness within the past two weeks," she said Wednesday. "And then just the day before and that day (she died), it suddenly just went to a more serious situation. We stayed fast in prayer then. We believed that she would recover. We saw signs that to us, it looked like she was recovering."

Her daughter - who hadn't seen a doctor since she got some shots as a 3-year-old, according to Vergin - had no fever and there was warmth in her body, she said.

Dale Neumann, a former police officer, said he started CPR "as soon as the breath of life left" his daughter's body.

Family members elsewhere called authorities to seek help for the girl.

"My sister-in-law, she's very religious, she believes in faith instead of doctors ...," the girl's aunt told a sheriff's dispatcher Sunday afternoon in a call from California. "And she called my mother-in-law today ... and she explained to us that she believes her daughter's in a coma now and she's relying on faith."

The dispatcher got more information from the caller and asked whether an ambulance should be sent.

"Please," the woman replied. "I mean, she's refusing. She's going to fight it. ... We've been trying to get her to take her to the hospital for a week, a few days now."

The aunt called back with more information on the family's location, emergency logs show. Family friends also made a 911 call from the home. Police and paramedics arrived within minutes and immediately called for an ambulance that took her to a hospital.

But less than an hour after authorities reached the home, Madeline - a bright student who left public school for home schooling this semester - was declared dead.

She is survived by her parents and three older siblings.

"We are remaining strong for our children," Leilani Neumann said. "Only our faith in God is giving us strength at this time."

The Neumanns said they moved from California to a modern, middle-class home in woodsy Weston, just outside Wassau in central Wisconsin, about two years ago to open a coffee shop and be closer to other relatives.

Leilani Neumann said she and her husband are not worried about the investigation because "our lives are in God's hands. We know we did not do anything criminal. We know we did the best for our daughter we knew how to do."

[fibonacci_]

"God does not however always grant us what we want for reasons unbeknown to us."

- Maybe because he doesnt exist...that would make a lot of sense, wouldnt it? Or at least that he couldnt give a hoot about human affairs.

[jankebenz]

There are millions who credit God for giving them a miracle in one way or another.I have personally witnessed a miracle from God when he healed my dad after a nasty accident.From recooperating in bed to walking again in 10 mins, after friends and family gathered to pray for him.God does not however always grant us what we want for reasons unbeknown to us.We can trust that he in his mercy and wisdom will know whats best for us.God also gave us doctors and medicine to help heal, why these partents did not use them is beyond me.

[fibonacci_]

CBS, although liberal in general, still has a soft spot for religion - considering that the vast majority of Americans believe in such hocus-pocus. Embarrassing.

[grammawhamma]

FYI ABC news has a comment section and yesterday there were almost 400 comments regarding this story. But it wasn''t hidden under "health".

[fibonacci_]

This is a major story showing the stupidity of religion - and religion has infected the USA. I wish CBS would have posted this under USA, where more people could read and learn about it. Only a very small number of Christians have had the courage to confront this issue here. Too many people die because of the idiocy of religion and in our case, Christianity.

[fibonacci_]

GrammaWhamma, excellent point. This should be under USA, and should have been printed yesterday. Shows what religion is doing to our society in a single, dramatic case. People are getting dumber.

[grammawhamma]

I find it interesting that CBS hid this article under "Health" and didn''t print it until today. This was front page news on all other news sites 2 days ago.

I live where this happened. The other 3 kids have been taken to the doctor and are healthy. They are living with extended family members for now. If you are interested in this story google wausau daily herald for detailed information.

[fibonacci_]

I definately agree with you that the general level of critical thinking in the USA has declined. I find it ironic that the USA is a culture composed of people whose ancestors originally came from many, many different cultures, and now many Americans cant even find those countries on the map. Or some think Europe is a country...etc. etc.

[terribayless-2009]

fibonacci_ I am really not able to argue one way or the other on that. I do however believe that there has be a decline in critical thinking throughout this country. I feel this country is trying to dumb down its people. But actually, imho I could see more Christians being those with less education than others. Once people are full of knowlege, education, money, they start to believe they got where they are because of only themselves and forget God. It''s harder to be humble when you don''t need anyone''s help. It''s easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven. Meaning he can''t get there by buying his way or work his way there. Sorry - I don''t usually respond like this. Thanks for listening.

[fibonacci_]

I actually do agree that a small percentage of Christians are intelligent, although the apparently lack an ability for critical thinking in the particular area of religion and belief in the supernatural/supersition. No offense to you personally, terribayless...you dont sound like singinrick. I have a good friend finishing up his doctorate in composition (music) who is religious. I just think they are very far in between...look at those scientific studies we quoted earlier, it is no accident that less intelligent people tend to go towards religion more.