Do All Vegans Think This Way?

[lizbud]

I know there are a few here who live the vegan lifestyle & I would like
to know if they think this was the proper thing for a baby.


Vegan Parents Get Prison In Infant's Death
Child Fed Mostly Soy Milk, Juice

POSTED: 12:50 pm EDT May 9, 2007


ATLANTA -- Vegan parents in Georgia were sentenced Wednesday to life in prison after their 6-week-old son died of malnutrition.

The baby, Crown Shakur, weighed only 3.5 pounds. He'd been fed mostly soy milk and apple juice. Vegans typically do not consume animal products.

Defense lawyers say the first-time parents did the best they could for their son while adhering to the strict lifestyle of vegans. They said Sanders and Thomas did not realize the baby -- who was born in a bathtub at their home -- was in danger until minutes before he died in April of 2004.


Jurors deliberated about seven hours before convicting the couple last week. Lamont Thomas, 31, and Jade Sanders, 27, were convicted of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children.

Prosecutors claimed the baby suffered a prolonged and painful death, not because of what he was fed, but because he was fed too little and that his nutritional needs were deliberately ignored by his parents. They prosecutors said the couple intentionally neglected their child and refused to take him to the doctor even as the baby's body wasted away.

During the trial, the father of the baby told the judge that wasn't true.

"We're vegetarians; we are against animal cruelty, so why would I be cruel to my son? Why would I do something with his body? We are against animals being murdered; why would we be cruel to him and try to do something to his body," asked Thomas.

Thomas criticized the prosecution and jury after he and his wife were found guilty.

Prosecutors said the couple slowly starved the baby on a diet of soy milk and juice in such small quantities that he died of complications from malnourishment. The kitchen cupboards in the parents' apartment were empty at the time.

But the father denied he caused his baby's death.

"The fact that we named him Crown, we were proud of him. We weren't trying to kill my son," Thomas said in court Wednesday.

Being found guilty of felony murder calls for a mandatory life prison sentence.

The parent's lawyer said he would appeal the sentence.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

What was the mother's excuse for not breast feeding?
No animal cruelty involved there.

[Lady'sOtherHuman]

What was the mother's excuse for not breast feeding?
No animal cruelty involved there.

Exactly!

[Edwina's Secretary]

My mother told me about this one. The first question is...why didn't she breastfeed? Although it is possible, because of HER diet, she was unable to produce milk.

Born in a bathtub...

[caseysmom]

Doesn't sound like this child died because his parents were vegans, sounds like this child was starved to death.

[slick]

Born in a bathtub...

Never mind that....naming a baby Crown????

Yes, why not breastfeed???? Poor little kid. He just didn't have a chance.

[columbine]

It sounds like there was more than veganism involved in this story. It reminds me of another case where the parents thought God had told them to only feed their child certain things. These people were probably hearing voices as well.

[sparks19]

Poor Child.

If people are going to force their vegan lifestyle on their kids they should at least do some research.

Absolutely ridiculous. they didn't know anything was wrong until the day the baby died? The baby weighed THREE POUNDS... That just doesn't fly with me.... I think the baby was underweight long before the day it died. GRRRR

[CathyBogart]

There are PLENTY of soy-based formulas available for human infants. If this wa ssuch a strong concern for them, they should have spoken to their doctor and gotten some soy-based formula. I have never seen a container of soy milk that didn't actually state on the LABEL that it wasn't meant to be used as infant formula.

[lizbud]

I really would like to know. Do vegans feed their children just what they
eat? To me, this sounds rediculous, but I'm not a vegan.

[Catty1]

From the little the father is reported to have said, I would guess he is a very delusional person who HAPPENS to follow a vegan lifestyle.

He sounds pretty clueless...and doesn't seem to realize that what he and his wife did KILLED their baby.

Name him whatever you want, bud, he's gotta eat!

This sort of thing can give vegans a bad name. I think this guy is just not accepting the responsibility, and I think a psych assessment is in his future.

And his wife? Was she abused or was he a control freak?

idiots...

[crow_noir]

Exactly

There are PLENTY of soy-based formulas available for human infants. If this wa ssuch a strong concern for them, they should have spoken to their doctor and gotten some soy-based formula. I have never seen a container of soy milk that didn't actually state on the LABEL that it wasn't meant to be used as infant formula.

These people needed some serious ...help.

As others have said... this isn't a story about vegans, the subjects just happen to be vegan.

[Puckstop31]

Those people obviously missed the episode of House where the vegan parents brought a malnourished baby to the clinic.

Or... Maybe they did not pay attention in Health?

Either way, it is good to see justice served.

[Puckstop31]

As others have said... this isn't a story about vegans, the subjects just happen to be vegan.

Well... Would this have happened had the parents not been vegan?

[AvaJoy]

Doesn't sound like this child died because his parents were vegans, sounds like this child was starved to death.

I agree.