Faith vs. Law: Twin Babies, One Life Saved, One Lost

In Oregon City, a tragedy unfolded when newborn twin Ginnifer died in March 2017, her parents, members of the Followers of Christ sect, having refused medical care. Her twin sister, Evelyn, was found alive but in distress and was taken to a hospital, surviving due to immediate medical intervention. Evelyn's parents were charged with murder by neglect and criminal mistreatment.

The case drew attention to the Followers' long history of rejecting medical treatment, which had led to a significantly higher child death rate compared to the general population. State laws have evolved over decades, removing spiritual treatment as a defense for crimes against children.

Evelyn was placed under the guardianship of Marshall and Jennifer Phillips, a couple who had left the sect after their own son's life was saved by medical care. This decision reflected the state's challenge in finding suitable guardians for children removed from families who adhere to faith-healing practices.

In 2018, Evelyn's parents pleaded guilty, receiving the harshest sentence given to sect members for such offenses. This case continues to highlight the complex intersection of religious freedom, parental rights, and the state's responsibility to protect children, with Evelyn now raised outside the sect's strictures.