Faith healing dad draws jail time in death

OREGON CITY, Ore., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. faith healing devotee Craig Worthington began a jail sentence Saturday after his conviction for failing to obtain medical help for his dying daughter.

Worthington drew the two-month sentence Friday from Clackamas County, Oregon, Judge Steven Maurer, who said that while he respects the religious beliefs of Worthington's fundamentalist Christian sect, he crossed a legal line last year when he failed to seek medical help for his dying 15-month-old daughter, The Oregon City News reported.

"I will stand by my assessment that this was wrong, wrong, wrong," Maurer told a courtroom full of supporters from Worthington's church. "This was an unnecessary tragedy. This, religious tenet or not, is simply wrong -- fundamentally and simply wrong."

Worthington, 29, was led away in handcuffs as church members who packed the courtroom sobbed and hugged one another. He was convicted last week of second-degree criminal mistreatment, but acquitted of second-degree manslaughter, while his wife and co-defendant, Raylene Worthington, was acquitted of all charges. the newspaper said.

Prosecutors say Ava Worthington, who suffered from softball-sized cyst on her neck, died in March 2008 while church members prayed in a "laying on of hands" ceremony.