Oregon Faith Healing Parents Arrested Just For Letting Their Two-Day-Old Infant Die

He's not the first and, sadly, probably won't be the last.

ROBYN PENNACCHIA
MAY 02, 2024

An Oregon City couple has been arrested on first and second degree criminal mistreatment charges related to the death of their infant child in 2023. The parents, Blair and Taylor Edwards, belong to a church called the Followers of Christ that believes in faith healing to the point of refusing to get medical treatment for most conditions. Unsurprisingly, this is very far from the first time that a child in this church has died from a treatable malady, nor the first time that adults in the church have been arrested for having denied their children medical treatment.

Baby Hayden Edwards was only two days old when his health started rapidly declining and he refused to eat. Instead of taking their child to the hospital like normal parents might have, they invited their friends and family from the church over to heal him — which the church does by praying over someone and anointing them with olive oil.

Incredibly, that did not work, his health only got worse and his lips started turning blue. By mid-afternoon he was dead. Medical examiners, upon seeing that Hayden’s skin had turned yellow, determined he was severely jaundiced. While infant jaundice can often clear up on its own, it’s obviously best to take the child to a doctor, especially if it is that severe. Certainly at the point when his lips start turning blue.

Via Oregon Live:

“When asked under what circumstances they would seek medical treatment for Hayden, [Blair and Taylor Edwards’] answers indicated that they never would and did not think they needed to here,” [Senior Deputy District Attorney Bryan] Brock wrote in records filed with the court.

Hayden was the fourth child Taylor Edwards delivered at home, records note. She is pregnant and due in June or July.

“Medical experts indicate that Hayden’s condition may have been caused by a hereditary condition and are concerned that the next child born may also have this condition, which they say is likely treatable with adequate medical care,” Brock wrote.

Yeah, it seems like it’s probably not the best idea to let these people “take care” of another newborn.

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