Jury acquits parents of all but 1 misdemeanor charge in daughter's "faith healing" murder

The Oregonian - July 23, 2009

Jury acquits Worthingtons of all but 1 charge in daughter's death
by The Oregonian

Randy L. Rasmussen/The OregonianRaylene (left) and Carl Worthington react emotionally as the verdicts are read today. A jury found Carl Worthington guilty of criminal mistreatment in the 2008 death of his daughter. Worthington and his wife, Raylene, used faith healing to treat 15-month-old Ava, who died in 2008 of bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection.

THE CASE: Carl and Raylene Worthington, members of the Followers of Christ church in Oregon City, faced manslaughter and criminal mistreatment charges in the death of their 15-month-old daughter. Ava Worthington died in March 2008 from complications from pneumonia and a blood infection, both treatable conditions.

THE VERDICT: A Clackamas County jury finds Carl Worthington guilty of criminal mistreatment, a misdemeanor. Jurors acquit Carl Worthington of manslaughter and Raylene Worthington of both mistreatment and manslaughter.

NEWS STORIES:

"Worthingtons acquitted on all but one charge in faith-healing death"

"How one juror moved from guilty on all counts"

"Video: Judge reads verdict in Worthington trial"

"Video: The scene after the Worthington trial ended"

"Photos: Jurors return verdict in Worthington trial"

"Carl Worthington faces up to a year in jail at sentencing"

"Worthingtons faced charges that included a religious exception"

"Followers of Christ church issue statement"

"The history of the Followers of Christ church"

"Followers of Christ church has history of children's deaths"

ANDY PARKER COLUMN: "A verdict on our law on faith healing"

THE TRIAL: All the stories from the nearly monthlong trial

THE DOCUMENTS: Court documents in the Worthington case

See more in Worthington Trial

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http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2009/07/worthingtons_acquitted_on_all.html