Parents do not blame for the cancer death of the child

Court sees no neglect of duty of care or negligent homicide

04/03/2014

The parents of a girl who died of cancer were acquitted of the charge of negligent homicide. The District Court Kempten comes in its judgment to the conclusion that it was „It is beyond dispute that they subjectively wanted the best for their child“, as she treating her daughter in the hands of a dubious „cancer healer“ were broadcasting.

The prosecution had accused the parents of a violation of duty of care and the negligent homicide of the girl, because they decided in 2009 after two successful chemo treatments against further chemo, the medical treatment and broke off their daughter „cancer healer“ entrusted. The chances of a child's survival had been very good if the therapy continued, argued the prosecution. However, the court was unable to follow the allegations and released the parents, as they had always made an effort to achieve the best for their child.

Doctors urged continuation of chemotherapy
In the meantime, a violent dispute had arisen between the treating physicians, the responsible authorities and the parents about the treatment of the now deceased girl. In 2009, the then twelve-year-old from Upper Allgäu was subjected to chemotherapy for the first time with the consent of his parents because of a football-sized cancer in his stomach. The doctors reported that the tumor had shrunk in the course of treatment to the size of a tennis ball and the chance of recovery would have been appropriate continuation of chemotherapy about 80 percent. Although the physicians pushed for a continuation of the therapy after the two relatively successful chemo treatments, the parents however decided to discontinue the treatment. Instead, they initially opted for nutritional and mistletoe therapy in light of the side effects of chemotherapy before embarking on the controversial methods of „New Germanic Medicine“ turned to Ryke Geerd Hamer.

Even with continuation of the therapy no sure cure
After lengthy arguments, the competent family court came to the conclusion that the discontinuation of chemotherapy by the parents represents a risk to the child's well-being, deprived the parents of the health care and instructed the girl for a week hospitalized. However, the disease had progressed so far that there were hardly any chances of recovery. In addition, the daughter had been extremely hostile to the treatment of the parents of the therapy, so that the doctors decided to release the girl from the hospital again. In the house of her parents, the girl Christmas finally died in 2009. However, the Kempten district court concluded in its ruling that even if therapy were continued uninterrupted, the child's survival would by no means have been guaranteed.

False healing promise with fatal effect
The case makes it tragically clear which fatal effect false or at least questionable promises of healing can have. The parents certainly wanted only the best for their child, trusted, however „blind“ to the statements of Ryke Geerd Hamer, reports one of the treating physicians. While positive effects on cancer therapy are also scientifically proven for parallel mistletoe therapy, this is by no means the case for Hamer's healing modalities. In addition, mistletoe therapy is only used as an adjunctive therapy. Exclusive treatment of cancers based on mistletoe therapy is not recommended and not very promising. In general, in the case of cancer, natural medicine can not offer a reliable treatment method. If a cure for pronounced cancer on the basis of purely naturopathic procedures is promised, therefore, skepticism is required. A complementary attempt to treat natural tumors against existing tumors, however, can not harm and may well have a positive effect. (Fp)