A Toddler Passed Away After Parents Used Home Remedies Rather Than Seek Medical Help

As a parent, you want what's best for your child. Some parents are more protective than others, but they all have their children's best interest at heart. But when does one have to swallow their pride and ask for help or admit that they don't know what to do when seeking assistance for caring for their child? And how does one tell a parent that they are right or wrong, especially when it has to do with something that they build their belief system on? A couple took the medical health of one of their children into their own hands and are now receiving much backlash, and a court ordeal, from their actions.

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In 2012, Ezekiel Stephan became ill.

He had a runny nose, fever, and breathing troubles. His mother, Collet, looked up up symptoms online and thought it might be a type of respiratory infection. 

CBC reports her parents started giving him natural home remedies... 

...such as water with maple syrup, juice with frozen berries and finally a mixture of apple cider vinegar, horseradish root, hot peppers, mashed onion, garlic and ginger root as his condition deteriorated.

Collet and her husband David say they prefer naturopathic remedies.

According to the CBC, the couple was interviewed on tape saying they had negative experiences with the medical system and chose the natural route. Collet said that Ezekiel seemed to improve other the first few days but then became weak and lethargic. 

She called a registered nurse to come to their home and check her son, and the nurse said it might be meningitis.

Global News says that Ezekiel was taken to a naturopathic doctor who gave a treatment for viral meningitis without examining him. Collet and David saw improvement until the young boy woke up from a nap and wasn't as alert.

Then Ezekiel stopped breathing.

Collet began doing CPR and David called 911, and they drove to meet the ambulance. Ezekiel stopped breathing a few times throughout the drive and began turning blue. Paramedics took over when they met with the family.

Ezekiel died five days later, CBC reports say.

Collet and David are now on trial, charged with failing to “provide the necessities of life” for their son. The trial proceeded February 29, 2016 where Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles says that the couple didn't mean to kill their son, but they were negligent. 

“I’m not saying they killed him, abused him, or ignored him — they loved him. They didn’t take him to a doctor until it was too late — far too late.”

The family is still in the midst of the trial, which is scheduled to go until March 24, 2016. 

Ezekiel was too young to have passed and his family continues to grieve their loss. Their story shows the importance of seeking medical help when your child becomes ill and does not show consistent signs of improvement. 

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Main image via Facebook / Prayers for Ezekiel

Collage image via Facebook / Prayers for Ezekiel