Police Officer Fired After Religious Refusal To Get Medical Help For Wife Sues

A former Lee's Corner, Missouri police officer, Caleb Horner, last week filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the police department's refusal to allow him to return to work amounted to religious discrimination.  According to yesterday's Kansas City Star, Horner and his common-law wife, Misty, believed in a “healing process that comes from God” rather than traditional medical treatment. In Dec. 2006, Misty gave birth at home to a stillborn infant.  31 days later Misty died, never asking for medical care.  During that time, Caleb refused pleas of friends and family to get medical help for Misty, saying that Misty wanted to rely on prayer.  Immediately after Misty's death, Caleb and others who shared his religious beliefs spent 14 hours trying to raise her from the dead by prayer. The police department fired Caleb for failing to promptly call the medical examiner when Misty died. Caleb's lawsuit says that his co-workers turned on him during his wife's illness. He asks for damages of at least $25,000.