Crime & Safety
Deputies Probe Death Of Baby Born To Followers Of Christ Members
The sheriff's office says that couple - who reject medical care and medicine - had twin baby girls. One died within hours. No one called 911
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a baby born to Oregon City members of the faith-healing group, The Followers of Christ. The child - one of two girls born Sunday - died within hours.
Deputies say that Sarah Mitchell delivered the two infants in the home of her parents, Walter Matthew White and Karen White, on the 1400 block of S. Loder Rd. in Oregon City.
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Three midwives were present along with family members - all of whom are Followers of Christ members, according to the sheriff's office.
The second baby developed apparent breathing problems after delivery. No one called 911, according to deputies.
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They said that the first call was made from Church Elder Carl Hansen when he called the county medical examiner.
The medical examiner responded to the scene and determined that the surviving newborn needed medical attention. The medical examiner contacted law enforcement personnel -- who persuaded the family to seek professional medical care.
The Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office completed its autopsy of the infant on March 6th, 2017. Cause of death investigation is on-going and pending at this time.
The sheriff's office says that the surviving baby is believed to be several weeks premature, and is currently in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Oregon Health & Science University.
Detectives are currently investigating the infant's death -- collecting and processing evidence, reconstructing the timeline of events, and interviewing witnesses to the births as well as members of the family and Followers of Christ Church.
Sarah Mitchell's sister and brother-in-law, Shannon and Dale Hickman are also Followers of Christ members and were convicted in 2011 of second-degree manslaughter following the 2009 death of their infant son less than nine hours after delivery.
The Hickmans are currently each serving out six-year prison sentences, to be followed by three years of post-prison supervision.
File photo Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
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