Dan Broadbent
Christine and Ebed Delozier are the parents of Hope Delozier. Hope was eighteen months old when she passed away on March 23rd, 2015 from meningitis brought on from a common ear infection . Hope’s autopsy revealed that she was dehydrated and malnourished as well.
Hope had an ear infection for approximately three weeks prior to being taken to the hospital, while in cardiac arrest, on March 23rd. During her struggle against the infection, Hope formed an abscess, which ruptured and drained for five days. Ms. Delozier put Hope down for a nap on March 23rd, and in her own words, said “I watched her die” in a statement to law enforcement. Ms. Delozier administered CPR on Hope for half an hour, at which time Mr. Delozier arrived home and then transported Hope to the hospital.
While at the hospital, the parents “made it clear they were against antibiotics and other chemicals associated with modern medicine.” While medical staff was working on Hope, Ms. Delozier was quoted as saying “you’re putting holes in her” and, “You’re putting chemicals in her.”
Ms. Delozier later shared that she “didn’t believe in vaccinations or other aspects of modern medicine, not because of any religious beliefs, but from her own upbringing and her own research.” But Ms. Delozier also said that “God is the ultimate healer.”
Mr. Delozier reported that he had been trained as an EMT while living in Vermont. The parents had been living in a camper, and also cited financial reasons for not seeking medical treatment. Mr. Delozier also cited his religious and personal beliefs for not seeking medical attention.
Hope herself was actually born in the family’s home, without a midwife, had never seen a medical professional, and had never been vaccinated. Prior to her death, Mr. Delozier had been treating Hope using herbs.
The autopsy revealed that Hope died from streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis, a bacterial meningitis, once that is easily treated with an antibiotic. There are also meningococcal vaccines that could have helped prevent the death altogether.
When anti-sciencers are engaged in a discussion about topics like homeopathy, often times they will resort to the “well, if it works for them, then what’s the harm” gambit. This is obviously a worst-case scenario, but is an example of how anti-science “leaders” can create mindsets in individuals that are systemically wrong.
Hope’s death is what happens when homeopathy, chemophobia, and anti-vax views meet. While the parents did claim financial barriers in seeking medical attention, the family could have applied for Medicaid. Additionally, emergency rooms are not allowed to turn away anyone that needs emergent medical care (meningitis is a fast-moving infection that would require immediate treatment). So the entire argument they’ve presented is completely nonsense. There is absolutely no reason other than pure laziness and anti-science views, for Hope to have died.
The father said that he did is own research. He also has many pictures on his Facebook page of him and his children posing with weapons. It seems like the anti-science views were more due to having terrible priorities, rather than an actual informed decision.
The family attempted to treat the bacterial infection using herbs and “God.”
The child’s first and only experience with a medical professional her entire life was when she was (vry likely) already deceased.
Sickening.
