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A Newborn Died in a Faith-Healing Sect. The State — and One Ex-Believer — Stepped in to Save Her Twin.
When newborn twins Ginnifer and Evelyn were born in Oregon in 2017, their family, members of the Followers of Christ faith-healing sect, did not seek medical help. Ginnifer died hours after birth, but a medical examiner discovered her struggling twin and pressed the family to take her to hospital, where doctors saved her. The case highlights the consequences of withholding care and the difficult role of the state when parents refuse treatment on religious grounds.
Ginnifer weighed just 3½ pounds, and an autopsy found that respiratory distress syndrome, common in premature babies, caused her death. Evelyn was admitted to intensive care and stabilised with breathing support and a feeding tube; her parents were charged with murder by neglect and criminal mistreatment. The state placed Evelyn with Marshall and Jennifer Phillips, both raised in the sect, after Marshall had previously sought hospital care for his seriously ill son, a decision that began his eventual departure from the community.
In short
- A medical examiner’s intervention helped save newborn Evelyn.
- Her twin Ginnifer died after receiving no medical care.
- Evelyn’s carers included a couple who later left the sect.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The state has a strong duty to protect newborns, who cannot speak for themselves, when refusing medical treatment puts their lives at serious risk. Prompt hospital care saved Evelyn, and placing her with carers able to provide that care can be defended as a necessary, proportionate response to prevent further harm.
The case against
Parents generally have wide latitude to make decisions about their children’s upbringing and religious practice, and state intervention should require clear evidence of serious danger and careful safeguards. From this perspective, removing a child from her family can cause lasting harm, so authorities should use the least disruptive measures that reliably secure necessary treatment while respecting family ties and religious freedom.