The Gothenburg court's judgment on Thursday morning ruled that the parents' "serious negligence had put their daughter in a life-threatening situation". They were therefore sentenced to three months in jail and ordered to pay 60,000 kronor (approximately $6,000) in damages to their daughter.
Her father was also sentenced for several other minor crimes including drugs offences and drink driving.
The girl was brought to emergency care at a hospital in Gothenburg, western Sweden, in February in serious condition and a non-responsive state.
The child had never been registered with Swedish authorities, and the family, who themselves followed a vegan diet, reportedly fed the girl a restricted diet consisting primarily of breast milk, brown rice and potatoes.
In the judgment, the court wrote that the parents' choice of lifestyle should never be prioritized above a child's fundamental needs.
"According to their ideological belief that the daughter was a citizen of the world, her parents did not even report the birth to any authority, have her checked at a paediatric centre, or even weigh or measure her growth. Nor has the girl been vaccinated or examined by a doctor," a statement from the court said. It added that the food the girl was fed "was far from sufficient or adapted for such a small child".
The presiding judge, Per Nordén, noted that the parents did what they believed what was best for the child and "did not intentionally harm their daughter". However, he said the parents had some "remarkable" views, referring to a statement from the girl's mother that she believed people could live without food or water following long-term mental and physical training.
After around three weeks at the hospital, the girl was placed into care, and her foster mother told the court that the child had already begun to recover.
Prosecutor Ximena Bene had requested two or three years' jail for the parents, arguing that the girl was malnourished and this led to her life-threatening medical condition. Doctors said the child was "hours from dying", and according to Read More – Source
[contf]
[contfnew]
thelocal.eu
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
