UPDATE: Alberta Couple Found Guilty In Death Of Infant Son

Dad pens letter to jury

Thursday – The Alberta dad found guilty in his son’s meningitis death says a dangerous precedent has been set. In a Facebook letter to the jury he said they were wrong in their decision; that they were taken in by the Crown’s deception, drama and trickery. David Stephan added he’s worried others will be arrested if they don’t fall in line with the government’s idea of parenting. Stephan and his wife testified at their trial they tought their son had croup and were treating him naturally.

Wednesday – An Alberta couple has been found guilty of not providing the necessaries of life in the death of their 18 month young son. Ezekial Stephan died of meningitis in 2012, his parents testified they believed he was suffering from croup and were treating him with natural remedies that included hot peppers, garlic, onions and horseradish. The boy’s aunt says because of the ruling every child with a sniffle, headache and sore throat will wind up in an emergency ward – parents worried they’ll make a wrong decision and be held accountable. Court heard the boy swung between illness and recovery for days before a family friend and nurse suggested he could be suffering from meningitis and should see a doctor. “Unfortunately, nobody can speak for Ezekiel,” said Crown prosecutor Lisa Weich. “He wasn’t old enough to speak for himself. What we are required to do is make sure that the public at large, and accused people in general, are held to the criminal standard. And in this case, it was holding the parents to the criminal standard of care for their child.” The parents are to be sentenced in May.