The most high profile case in recent times was that of Herbert and Catherine Schaible. The Pennsylvanian were jailed in 2014 for allowing their 8-month-old son Brandon to die a slow and painful death from diarrhea, rather than seek medical attention. They argued their religious beliefs stipulate that illness is a sign of ‘spiritual lack’, and only prayer can cure it.

The father, Herbert Schaible, defending their decision, said:

“We believe in divine healing, the Jesus shed blood for our healing and that he died on the cross to break the devil’s power,”

What makes the case all the more shocking, is that the couple were already on probation for the involuntary manslaughter of another child. Their two-year-old child died of pneumonia in 2009 after they refused to seek medical help.

The couple were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the 2009 death, and sentenced to 10 years probation. A condition of their probation was that they sought medical attention if any of their surviving children became sick. Yet, within that probationary period, the couple allowed another child to die from a treatable illness. This time, their eight-month-old son Brandon.