Alberta Parents Allowed Son to Die by Treating His Meningitis with Maple Syrup?

A mom and dad in Alberta, Canada pleaded not guilty this week over the death of their 19-month-old son. The parents allegedly allowed their child to die by not bringing him to the hospital and using unproven home remedies to treat his deadly infection.

Little Ezekiel Stephan succumbed to meningitis in March 2012. Lethbridge prosecutors said the toddler had been sick for a few weeks but his parents, David and Collet, only called for medical assistance when the child was no longer breathing, Global News reported.

'I'm not saying they killed him, abused him or ignored him—they loved him," prosecutor Clayton Giles explained. "They didn't take him to a doctor until it was too late—far too late."

When Ezekiel started becoming stiff, David and Collet supposedly elected to not bring the child to a doctor. Instead, they gave him various supplements and home remedies in the hopes that he might still be cured.

According to CBC News, the Stephans contacted a friend who was a nurse. She told the couple to seek medical assistance as their son likely had a case of meningitis. David and Collet didn't follow the recommendation and continued feeding Ezekiel with maple syrup, berries and water.

When that didn't work, they made Ezekiel drink a concoction made from onions, garlic, hot peppers, horse radish root and apple cider vinegar. After finally calling for help, the Stephans told authorities that their family uses naturopathic remedies since they have had bad experiences with medics and hospitals.

The Stephans were eventually charged for their negligence a year later. Their legal counsel is still working tediously to exonerate the couple from the alleged crime, as per CTV News.

Medical News Today said meningitis is the inflammation of three membranes in the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by the infection of viruses, fungi, parasites and other forms of bacteria.

In industrialized nations, up to 12 percent of meningitis cases result in death. Meanwhile, 20 percent of survivors suffer from amputation, hearing loss, brain damage and kidney problems.