A Toddler Dies of Meningitis After His Parents Refused to Get Him Vaccinated, Social worker tells trial

The parents of an Alberta toddler who died of meningitis should have taken their son to a doctor long before he stopped breathing, instead of relying on natural remedies such as ginger root, olive leaf extract and water with maple syrup, the Crown told a Lethbridge jury.

The toddler’s parents, David and Collet Stephan, have pleaded not guilty to charges that they failed to help their son when he was clearly suffering from a serious illness.

Alberta prosecutors said it wasn’t until the boy stopped breathing that the parents finally called an ambulance.

Instead of taking their son to the doctor when he showed symptoms, the Stephans used an eye dropper to feed him home remedies including frozen berries and maple syrup.

After being airlifted to the nearest hospital, doctors feared it was already too late, and after five days on life support, the boy was taken off and died shortly after.

The parents, who operate Truehope Nutritional Support Inc. out of their home, have had previous trouble with the law, after claiming one of their protein powders could manage mental illnesses like bipolar disorder.

David Stephan claims there is no evidence to support his son’s death could have been prevented by the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). He and his wife face a five-year prison sentence and separation from their other children if convicted.

Meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis may develop in response to a number of causes, usually bacteria or viruses, but meningitis can also be caused by physical injury, cancer or certain drugs.

Agencies/Canadajournal