'Prophet' Baby Recovering

Christopher and Kyndra Fink are expected back in Utah soon in connection with an alleged kidnapping of their 21-month-old son.

After running from law officials for 16 days, the Finks were found with their malnourished son, David, and a newborn, Elijah in a remote mountain area in Montana.

The family's run from the law began five days after a concerned social worker and family members placed David, who weighed just 16 pounds, in state custody on Sept. 14. Hours before the boy was to be put into foster care, his parents allegedly kidnapped him from Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

The Finks kept David on a starvation diet because of their religious beliefs. They believed he was destined to become a prophet. They told relatives that he was on a "fruitarianism" diet in order to remain "pure".

Randy Ripplinger of the Division of Child and Family Services of Utah said Wednesday that the children are doing well in a hospital in Billings, Montana.

Randy Ripplinger (CBS)

"We're particularly concerned about [David] because of his long time of being malnourished," said Ripplinger. "He is taking food. We understand that he's being strengthened quite a bit, though he has long-standing [health] issues that need to be addressed."

Michelle Bennett is Kyndra Fink's sister. She explained what motivated the couple to treat their son the way they did.
"They say they did it because of their religious beliefs," she said. "They said it was because God had told them that he couldn't have impure food and he is a prophet-to-be. It was totally a decision on Chris' behalf...that he couldn't have, you know, impure foods."
Bennett said she was relieved to hear the couple and their children had been found, because she was concerned for their safety.

Ripplinger said the State of Utah has taken legal custody of David and will petition for custody of Elijah, because: "We're fearful of his life if he is born into the same situation."

The state will look for placement with a family member, because, if possible, reunification would be the most desirable way to go.

"That's a decision our case workers and the judge will have to make after they get more information from the parents," Ripplinger said. "In extreme circumstances, it's possible that they may not be reunified. But we haven't made that decision yet."

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