Fwd: [SoFlaVegans] Judge: Decision tough on whether to jail parents in neglect case

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.Ronald A. Fells

N3VPU

Amateur Radio Operator

 

 

Judge: Decision tough on whether to jail parents in neglect case

By CURT ANDERSON

AP Legal Affairs Writer

Dec 15, 2005

 

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051215/APN/512150860

 

[Letters to the Editor:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?CATEGORY=OPINION04

]

 

MIAMI A judge acknowledged Thursday that he faces a " tough " decision

on whether to jail two parents convicted of child neglect in a case

revolving around their adherence to a strict vegetarian raw foods

diet.

 

Joseph and Lamoy Andressohn were acquitted Nov. 7 by a jury of

manslaughter in the 2003 death of their 6-month-old daughter, Woyah.

But the jury decided that they were guilty of child neglect involving

their four other children, who are in the custody of an aunt.

 

The Andressohns could receive a sentence of anywhere from probation

to 20 years in prison on those neglect charges. At a hearing

Thursday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Stanford Blake admitted that

deciding on a sentence is particularly difficult in this case.

 

" This is a tough case. It's tough for everyone. There's a lot of

emotion, " Blake said.

 

After several hours Thursday, Blake said that he would hold a new

sentencing hearing Dec. 22. The Andressohns remain free on bond.

 

Both parents expressed sorrow for what happened to Woyah and vowed to

do whatever is required by a court or by the state Department of

Children & Families to have their family reunited. Joseph Andressohn

said he believed a raw food diet was healthier for his family and

that he never thought it would harm anyone.

 

" I thought it was the best diet in the world, " Andressohn said. " I

thought we were on the right path. "

 

" I love my children very much, " added Lamoy Andressohn.

 

One of their lawyers, Robert Barrar, urged Blake to give the couple

probation - particularly since they now have a 7-month-old baby girl.

 

" They may not be the smartest people in the world, but they are not

criminals, " Barrar said.

 

But prosecutor Herbert Walker III said that all of the Andressohn

children were diagnosed with severe malnutrition, which is enough to

satisfy legal requirements that the parents do at least some prison

time.

 

" This diet applied not just to baby Woyah but to all of the

children, " Walker said.

 

Testimony during the trial indicated that all of the Andressohn

children were far smaller than average, with some suffering

development delays and other problems possibly brought on by

inadequate nutrition. Testimony also showed that they have all gained

weight during their time eating a more conventional diet.

 

Woyah weighed about 7 pounds when she died in May 2003, about half

normal weight for her age. She was fed exclusively wheat grass,

coconut water and almond milk.

 

The Andressohns' attorneys produced expert witnesses who said that

the baby's death could have been caused by DiGeorge syndrome, a rare

chromosomal disorder in which a person is missing the thymus gland

necessary to develop a healthy immune system.

 

Fidyl

Live Simply So That

Others May Simply Live

Yoga-With-Nancy/

SignSoFla/

SoFlaVegans/

SoFlaSchools/