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Colo. Girl's Death Called Homicide -- Amanda Bates

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DGH

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Feb 13, 2001, 9:25:07 PM2/13/01
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - The death of a girl whose diabetes was left
untreated after her parents refused medical treatment on religious
grounds has been classified a homicide. "The death of Amanda Bates
occurred as a direct consequence of withholding medical care in a
life-endangering condition," Mesa County Coroner Robert Kurtzman said
Monday. Janet Prell, a spokeswoman for the Mesa County Sheriff's Office,
said the death was still being investigated and no decision had been
made on whether to file charges against Amanda's parents. Amanda, 13,
died Feb. 5 of an infection related to her diabetes. Her parents,
Colleen and Randy Bates, belong to the General Assembly Church of the
First Born. Some members of the church have said they will not accept
medical help under any circumstances. Withheld medical treatment has
been blamed in eight previous stillbirths and children's deaths in
Colorado families belonging to the church.

Plop

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Feb 13, 2001, 10:54:51 PM2/13/01
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I hope prosecuters have more to do than waste time going after
these people.The Amish shun modern medical treatment,and you
don`t see anyone charging them with anything.What makes these
people any different?

"DGH" <peri...@eudoramail.com> wrote in message
news:3A89EC83...@eudoramail.com...

Amanda

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Feb 14, 2001, 2:21:17 AM2/14/01
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Plop wrote:

> I hope prosecuters have more to do than waste time going after
> these people.The Amish shun modern medical treatment,and you
> don`t see anyone charging them with anything.What makes these
> people any different?

Shun and refuse are different things. I may be mistaken, but if an Amish child
were dreadfully ill, would the parents not allow help from outside?

-A

Brad Ferguson

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Feb 14, 2001, 7:37:49 PM2/14/01
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In article <3A8A31EC...@enteract.com>, Amanda
<amandaS...@enteract.com> wrote:


There's a misapprehension here. The Amish don't routinely refuse
modern medical treatment. Amish also feel free to ask their non-Amish
neighbors to phone for an ambulance when the need arises.

It does seem a little bit of a cheat, but the handful of Amish I've
known (none of them well) were good people, and not stupid about this
kind of thing. FWIW, there are individual Amish who don't object to
modern devices that are battery-powered -- e.g. flashlights, tiny TVs,
radios, and other things that don't have to be plugged into the wall.

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