A Berks County couple who told police their faith forbids them from seeking medical treatment has been charged in the recent death of their 2-year-old daughter, according to an Associated Press report.
Jonathan and Grace Foster of Upper Tulpehocken Township were charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the Nov. 8 pneumonia death of their daughter, Ella Grace, becoming the latest members of their sect charged for not taking a dying child to a doctor, the report said.
The Fosters, members of Mechanicsburg-based Faith Tabernacle church, attributed the toddler's death to "God's will," according to charges filed in the case.
The Fosters, who have six other young children, were released on unsecured bail, the report said. Berks County District Attorney John Adams said the couple has agreed to take their children to doctors when they are sick. Child welfare officials are monitoring the family.
The Fosters told police their church does not believe in any medical treatment whatsoever, charging documents state.
At least 10 children whose parents belong to various branches of the same fundamentalist sect have died of treatable illnesses across Pennsylvania during the last few decades, the report said. Several other church members have been prosecuted for failing to seek medical attention.
The Fosters told police that Ella started to show symptoms of a common cold two days before she died, including lethargy and a sore throat. Her breathing eventually became labored, then rapid, and she died in her father's arms, court documents state.
Ella would have had a 95 percent chance of survival had she been treated with a routine course of antibiotics, a forensic pathologist told police. However, Jonathan Foster told investigators "it would be frowned upon and against their religion" to have taken Ella to a doctor, charging documents state.
State law does not recognize religion as an exemption for parents to provide appropriate medical care to children, Adas said. He said other members of the congregation would face criminal charges if they also fail to seek medical attention for their sick children.
"I hope that the members of this church understand that authorities, such as our office, will not tolerate children not receiving medical care," he said.
The repot said about 12 children die each year in the U.S. when parents turn to faith healing instead of medicine. The children normally die from treatable illnesses, according to the report.
