A toddler got meningitis. His anti-vac parents gave him an herbal remedy. The toddler died. Now his parents are on trial. Washington Post, 3/18/16

Michael E. Miller, Washington Post; A toddler got meningitis. His anti-vac parents gave him an herbal remedy. The toddler died. Now his parents are on trial. :

"Ezekiel died from bacterial meningitis and empyema, two conditions routinely cured with antibiotics, a medical examiner told the court last week, according to the Lethbridge Herald.

If convicted, the parents could spend up to five years in prison.

The case has stirred outrage across Canada and the United States. It comes at a time when belief in natural and homeopathic remedies is on the rise in North America. More controversially, anti-vaccine sentiment is also surging, leading to a resurgence of once vanquished diseases like measles and whooping cough.

The toddler’s tragic death raises questions of whether and when parents have a duty to take their children to the hospital, despite their personal or religious beliefs.

Ezekiel Stephan wasn’t old enough to speak for himself when he died. Nonetheless, he has become a lightning rod for a raging debate."