An Oregon couple who let their two-day-old son die after relying on prayer and oil instead of calling 911 were sentenced on Sept. 8 to 30 days in jail and five years of probation, a judge ordered.
Blair Edwards, 37, and Taylor Edwards, 32, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment in the death of their son, Hayden, who stopped eating and later developed breathing difficulties on June 26, 2023. Prosecutors said family members and other followers from their church applied olive oil and prayed at the home rather than seeking emergency medical care.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Rusty Amos told the court that family members "hoped that within the hands of God, he would be OK," and urged that modern medicine was available to treat the condition. A county medical examiner testified that the infant suffered from hyperbilirubinemia, a condition caused by excess bilirubin in the blood that can cause jaundice and, in severe cases, breathing and neurological problems. Medical authorities say hyperbilirubinemia can often be treated with phototherapy, transfusion or enhanced nutrition.
The medical examiner said it could not be determined with "medical and scientific certainty" that medical intervention would have saved Hayden, testimony that defense attorneys highlighted and that likely influenced the relatively short jail term. Prosecutors, however, argued the probability was high that prompt medical care would have allowed the infant to recover.
Court records and testimony reported that when Hayden stopped eating the morning of June 26, his parents and members of their Followers of Christ congregation anointed him with oil and prayed rather than calling emergency services. Hours later his lips turned blue and he had difficulty breathing. Family members and church elders remained at the home and continued spiritual treatment; Hayden stopped breathing in the afternoon and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
Following their guilty pleas, the couple were taken into custody immediately after sentencing. In addition to the 30-day jail terms, they were ordered to serve five years of supervised probation and to adhere to specific conditions intended to ensure medical oversight for their remaining four children. The court required them to maintain health insurance, schedule and provide proof of regular medical checkups, and supply their parole officer with documentation of each child's medical visits.
Taylor Edwards had given birth at home on June 24, 2023, without reported complications; prosecutors said the newborn had not been vaccinated. Blair Edwards read a statement in court expressing remorse and urging other members of their church to seek medical advice when children are ill. "The death of our son Hayden has provided this recognition that medical care for the purpose of preserving life is a value that we understand is important," he said.
The couple are members of the Followers of Christ Church, a Christian subsect that follows a literal interpretation of the Bible and has a history in Oregon of rejecting some forms of medical treatment in favor of spiritual healing. Child deaths connected to the congregation have prompted legal action in Oregon for years. Since 2011, after the state removed spiritual treatment as a defense in homicide cases, several sets of parents associated with the church have faced prosecution for failing to obtain necessary medical care for children.
Amos said in court that prosecutors will continue to bring charges against members of the church or any other individuals who do not seek necessary medical treatment for children. Defense attorneys had argued during proceedings about the role of faith and the limited medical certainty surrounding the outcome in this case; the judge imposed probation conditions aimed at preventing further medical neglect of the couple's surviving children.
The case has renewed debate in the region over how to balance religious liberty with child welfare protections and how courts should weigh faith-based practices against public health and medical standards when children are at risk. Authorities said the criminal mistreatment statute is intended to protect children when caregivers fail to obtain necessary medical attention.
The Edwardses' sentencing marks the latest legal consequence for members of the Followers of Christ community in Oregon and underscores ongoing tensions between religious practices and state efforts to safeguard children’s health and safety.