Faith vs. Law: Oregon Sect's Children Die Unseen

In Oregon City, the Followers sect's decades-long practice of refusing medical care resulted in a significantly higher child death rate, estimated to be 26 times that of the general population between 1989 and 1999. This led to legislative changes in 1999 and 2011, removing spiritual treatment as a defense against charges like manslaughter and criminal mistreatment.

The story of Ginnifer Mitchell, who died in 2017 after her Followers parents refused medical care, highlights the sect's practices. Her twin, Evelyn, survived and was placed in the care of Marshall and Jennifer Phillips, a couple who had previously broken from the sect after their son Nick's life-threatening diabetes diagnosis in 2013.

Marshall's decision to seek medical help for Nick marked a turning point, leading him and his wife away from the Followers' isolationist beliefs. They embraced mainstream evangelical Christianity and eventually became Evelyn's permanent guardians, providing her with medical care and a life outside the sect's strict doctrines.

In 2018, Sarah and Travis Mitchell, Evelyn's parents, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and criminal mistreatment, receiving the harshest sentence for members of the sect. Despite this, the Mitchells maintain contact with Evelyn, attending her birthday parties and expressing their love and regret, while the Phillipses aim to give Evelyn the freedom to choose her own path.