2nd Child Of Philadelphia Prayer-Healing Couple Dies
By Syma Chowdhry
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Catherine Schaible and her husband Herbert Schaible were convicted of involuntary manslaughter after their two-year-old son died of pneumonia in 2009.
They were sentenced to 10 years probation.
They belong to the First Century Gospel Church, a religious group that does not believe in medicine, but rather in prayer for healing.
Last Thursday, their 8-month-old son died in their home.
Neighbors question why they didn't seek medical help, again.
"That child could've lived by just a little medication and vaccines and all that," said neighbor Mary Ellen Scannapieco.
"Not everybody believes in the same thing, but I would think most people would seek medical help," said neighbor Joseph Carneglia.
Police say when the Schiables' baby died last week, they brought them to a funeral home, instead of a hospital.
We talked to the Director of Fluehr Funeral Homes who didn't want to be on camera.
He said the church's pastor called him asking if they could drop off the body.
But he says he told the family not to and immediately called the medical examiner.
Police arrived to the home and Child Protective Services took the remaining seven children into foster care.
Something neighbors say should have been done sooner.
"Yes, the state was right in stepping in and doing what they had to do," said Scannapieco.
"What if another one gets sick? Are you going to let the same thing happen again? So it makes me think they don't care that much," said neighbor Terence Richardson.
"In my eyes I'm no judgment in religion or anything like that, but in my eyes that is a wrong religion," said neighbor Anthony Richardson.
The Schiables have not been charged yet, but that could change once an autopsy is complete.
