UPDTAE::Opening arguments heard in faith healing couple's manslaughter trial

An update to this story.

Opening arguments were heard in Linn County Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon in the jury trial of an Albany couple — who believe in faith-healing and shun traditional medical care — that are accused of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter for the death of their daughter.

Syble Rossiter, 12, a Calapooia Middle School student, died in February 2013 from diabetes complications.

While the prosecution portrayed Travis and Wenona Rossiter as unwilling to provide adequate medical care for their daughter under any circumstances, defense attorneys said the couple thought their child merely had the flu.

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On the day of her death, Syble Rossiter was extremely thirsty and dehydrated, vomited and urinated out everything she took into her system, got so weak she couldn’t stand, and her parents even bought her adult diapers to wear, Stein said.
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He said the child also appeared emaciated and a concerned teacher even talked to Wenona Rossiter about it.
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In interviews with detectives, the parents said that, based on their beliefs, they wouldn’t have done anything different.

Travis Rossiter told a detective if his daughter had asked to go to a hospital, he would have tried to talk her out of it, Stein said.

He also told a detective that doctors are for people who don’t believe strongly enough in God, Stein added.

Opening arguments heard in faith healing couple's manslaughter trial