Philadelphia Couple Charged In Faith Healing Death of 2-Year Old Son

In Philadelphia (PA), Herbert and Catherine Schaible have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child in the death of their 2-year old son from bacterial pneumonia. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, at a preliminary hearing yesterday a municipal court judge bound the parents over for trial. The parents, members of the First Century Gospel Church, do not believe in seeking medical care. Instead they prayed over their sick son for ten days, and when he did not improve they called their pastor to also pray with them. Herbert Schaible, who has only a 9th grade education, is a teacher at the Church's school. His wife also dropped out of school after the 9th grade. The couple's attorneys argued that the Schaibles merely thought that their son had a bad cold or the flu.