Oregon Newborn Dies After Parents Rely on Prayer Over Doctors Leading to Jail Sentence

An Oregon couple, who are members of an insular religious sect that believes that faith heals all, have been sentenced to 30 days in jail for failing to obtain assistance when their two-day-old newborn died after stopping to eat and struggling to breathe.

Couple Plead Guilty to First-Degree Criminal Mistreatment

Blair (37) and his wife, Taylor Edwards (32), failed to contact 911 and were sentenced yesterday in the Clackamas County Circuit Court by Judge Michael Wetzel after an agreement that, in future, they seek medical care for their four surviving children. The couple pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment.

The couple is the fourth set of parents from the Followers of Christ Church to face prosecution for homicide charges since 2011, when legislation removed spiritual treatment as a defense for homicide. Followers of the church believe that it is God’s will if death occurs.

Two-day-old baby Hayden Edwards was born and died at home on June 26, 2023.

According to testimony by Senior Deputy District Attorney Rusty Amos, the infant turned blue after struggling to breathe. Instead of seeking medical attention for the baby, other members of their religious sect arrived at the home and anointed the infant with oil and prayers. They gathered around the baby for five hours until his death.

Investigators were told by Taylor Edwards that there were no complications when she gave birth to the baby at home on June 24, until he began struggling to breathe, according to a report by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

According to evidence, a medical examiner found that the baby had died from hyperbilirubinemia, a jaundice condition common in newborns. However, high levels of bilirubin in the blood can be dangerous, requiring medical attention to prevent brain damage.

In terms of the agreement, the couple will face two years of probation after serving their 30-day jail sentence.

Blair Edwards is employed as a pipe fitter, and his wife, Taylor, is a housewife with four children, one having been born after the death of baby Hayden.