March 19: Pateros student dies suddenly

Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2009 - 10:42 a.m. PDT Pateros student dies suddenly By Chris Thew Chronicle staff PATEROS - A 17-year-old student from Pateros High School died suddenly March 18 from a mystery illness, according to Pateros School District Superintendent Lois Davies.

[GirlFawkes]

Can anyone confirm or deny that we can chalk up another tragedy to the no-medical-care fundamentalists? That is what I'm hearing and I am OUTRAGED.

Yeah, I bet they were surprised when he died of a ruptured appendix during their fervent prayers.

Just so everyone is aware, this death was totally preventable, agonizingly painful, and would have given plenty advance warning of a problem.

They should be prosecuted- they killed him just as surely as if they had stuck a knife in his guts and put him to bed.

[Hollie Taylor]

To GirlFawkes:
Your opinion is not needed nor wanted. Are you a parent? Have you lost a child? Do you know ANYTHING about this family or their faith? We all have our own decisions in life and I can guarantee that these parents did not want their son to die. Your comments are ignorant and without warrant. To say that they should be prosecuted....please. When you have walked in their shoes, your opinion MAY have value. Until then, remember that a family is suffering the loss of someone so special. Their devastation is great so have kind words. May you never feel the tremendous loss that this family will live with forever. Rest in peace Zakk.

[GirlFawkes]

Children should not have to die as a result of their parents fundamentalist views. Period.

You chiming in with your fundie rhetoric is just the fuel needed to get the prosecutorial ball rolling.

Faith in God should not be the condition that determines life or death.

Yes, I do know a thing or two about their faith.

[Erin]

We will all pray that you have a softening of heart. We will pray that God blesses you mightly in your life. Before commenting so hatefully I would hope that you would consider that this family has lost their precious son. We rejoice in the fact that he is with our Heavenly Father. I pray that you will find the love that our Father has set aside expecially for you. You are in our hearts and prayers.

[GirlFawkes]

Erin, that this family lost their precious son is the only consideration I have. It's the whole purpose of this topic.

I do feel for this family- I feel for them because they have been so misled and blinded by their fundamentalist beliefs they allowed their son to die. A fundamentalist belief that relies on the "cure" of prayer and oil and then blames sin and ignorance for when that "cure" fails. However, feeling for someone's mistakes does not preclude deserved punishment under the law.

My heart is hardened toward anyone who knowingly allows their children to SUFFER and die. And make no mistake, Zakk suffered greatly as anyone with acute untreated appendicitis would. He will never know the joys of marriage, parenthood, and independent life thanks to his parents and church.

Thank you for your prayers, make sure you say one for Zakk, as well as all the other children under the age of consent who have died from outright neglect under the guise of religion.

[what did she say]

Hollie Taylor wrote:

To GirlFawkes:
Your opinion is not needed nor wanted.

What is that about? EVERYONE is entitled to an opinion. To say that GirlFawkes' opinion is not needed or wanted is a perfect example of San Fran thinking..."If you don't agree with me, you don't count". GirlFawkes has a point. This kid WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY if his parents would have done the right thing.........wise up San Fran.

[gunshopgirl]

How tragic and needless this death was. I can't imagine watching my child suffer and not doing everything possible to relieve that suffering. I would also pray for recovery but I would surly seek all the miracles that modern medicine offers every day. The Bible said to pray over the sick but it was written in a time when there was nothing else to do for our loved ones. Why would you wash your dishes by hand if you had a dishwasher. There are a lot of wonderful messages and teachings in the Bible but I don't believe every part was meant to be followed verbatim.

[GirlFawkes]

Yes, it is a tragedy. I am hoping that if anything positive can come of Zakk's death it will be in the youngest generation of First Borns, Christian Scientists and Followers of Christ who will not let their future children suffer needlessly. Sadly, the majority example of court and media statements from these families has not shown that they suffer from feelings of guilt. Most of them state that they would do the same again.

[Josh]

I am apart of there church. It is hard for someone to understand unless you actually feel God's mercy and healing direct. I have been paralized and after prayer from the elders God healed me instantly. Brethren have spit out lung cancer after prayer. Broken bones have all the sudden come back together after prayer. Do you actually think we would just not take care of ourselves? We have seen and personally had God touch us so many times that we give everything to God. If God did not do anything for us we would not believe this way.

[Kimberly]

I still can't believe Zakk is gone...and no one could do anything about his death. He coulndn't take any medications because of his religion. Zakk IS one of the most energetic guys I have known and our concert tomorrow is dedicated to him. We lost a very good trumpet player. I love you Zakk. R.I.P.

[Dark Night of the Soul]

Josh wrote:

I am apart of there church. It is hard for someone to understand unless you actually feel God's mercy and healing direct. I have been paralized and after prayer from the elders God healed me instantly. Brethren have spit out lung cancer after prayer. Broken bones have all the sudden come back together after prayer. Do you actually think we would just not take care of ourselves? We have seen and personally had God touch us so many times that we give everything to God. If God did not do anything for us we would not believe this way.

But you didn't see Zack healed this time,and he died, because all it would have taken is to have taken him to the doctor and a simple diagnosis made, and treated.

God provided a healing, but the family had to "prove God", and the upshot is evidence that something is amiss here and it's not God.

You people are tempting God with your outlandish refusal to offer simple, humane and compassionate care.

Why couldn't you have prayed for Zack when he first had symptoms, and if he didn't respond, have him treated with modern medical techniques, and then continued praying for his recuperation?

Or, didn't that occur to anyone?

right click, and save on target;
"By His Stripes you are Healed"

You'll learn correct scriptural doctrine on divine healing.

[Dark Night of the Soul]

"By His Stripes You Were Healed"

http://www.apostasywatch.com/

[Dark Night of the Soul]

Dark Night of the Soul wrote:

<quoted text>
But you didn't see Zack healed this time,and he died, because all it would have taken is to have taken him to the doctor and a simple diagnosis made, and treated.
God provided a healing, but the family had to "prove God", and the upshot is evidence that something is amiss here and it's not God.
You people are tempting God with your outlandish refusal to offer simple, humane and compassionate care.
Why couldn't you have prayed for Zack when he first had symptoms, and if he didn't respond, have him treated with modern medical techniques, and then continued praying for his recuperation?
Or, didn't that occur to anyone?
right click, and save on target;
"By His Stripes you are Healed"
You'll learn correct scriptural doctrine on divine healing.

No comments? Didn't anyone take the time to actually listen to the truth? It isn't that hard to figure out with the most basic computer knowledge. Click on the clink given, then go to audio on the menu, right click on "By His Stripes you were healed", and then right click, "save on target"....and listen. Or are you so closed minded to any but your own belief system?

Zack should NOT have died, period. He was in the prime of his young life, but thanks to his indoctrinated parents into their cultish doctrines he will never live to fulfill his true destiny.

[GirlFawkes]

Josh wrote:

I am apart of there church. It is hard for someone to understand unless you actually feel God's mercy and healing direct. I have been paralized and after prayer from the elders God healed me instantly. Brethren have spit out lung cancer after prayer. Broken bones have all the sudden come back together after prayer. Do you actually think we would just not take care of ourselves? We have seen and personally had God touch us so many times that we give everything to God. If God did not do anything for us we would not believe this way.

First, thanks for bumping this up Dark. You have worked very hard in so many of the COFB threads and it is definitely noticed and appreciated by many of us.

Josh, it's strange to me that your brethren would use the time, money and MEDICAL expertise to have a biopsy and culture performed on a mass that was coughed up. I also find it equally strange (and confusing...) that you would take the time to get an X-ray done on a wounded limb to confirm a break and then just go back to church and pray about it.

Oh, wait. Sorry, you don't do any of these things, do you?

Follow my reasoning just a bit further to the conclusion that none of these "cures" can be proven, they are as evanescent as faith itself unless independently confirmed.

And yes, I think that you would "just not take care" of yourselves. The proof is sadly ample- look no further than the cold graves of all the dead children your church has left in its wake.

[Anondelivers]

Josh wrote:

I am apart of there church. It is hard for someone to understand unless you actually feel God's mercy and healing direct. I have been paralized and after prayer from the elders God healed me instantly. Brethren have spit out lung cancer after prayer. Broken bones have all the sudden come back together after prayer. Do you actually think we would just not take care of ourselves? We have seen and personally had God touch us so many times that we give everything to God. If God did not do anything for us we would not believe this way.

Your church is no worse then the Church of $cientology, I bet you guys have a bunch of criminal acts that you dont talk about, anyone who has blind faith is a fool and they need to bewoken up.

[GirlFawkes]

Anondelivers wrote:

<quoted text>
Your church is no worse then the Church of $cientology, I bet you guys have a bunch of criminal acts that you dont talk about, anyone who has blind faith is a fool and they need to bewoken up.

Thanks,/b/rother, you're absolutely right. The CO$ uses many of the same control methods as the COFB, isolating members and employing the same sort of exclusionary tactics. It may not seem like a big deal to those of us who have grown up "free", but for those who's whole lives are the church, it's a strong incentive to stay in line.

[DarkNightoftheSo ul]

Questions still linger over Zakk Sweazy's death?

That's the boy, 17 yrs. old who died of a ruptured appendix, while his parents and elders of their church prayed over him.

The father said he knew Zakk showed signs of dying about 15 minutes before his death.

In my opinion, the only "questions" still lingering should be just how stiff the legal charges should be against the negligent parents in this case.

With parents like these, a child's worst enemies seem to be in their own families.

http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090826/NE ...

[friend]

first off
zakk was not 18 but he was not an ignorant child IF he had wanted to go and get medical treatment he would have been able to go. no one forced him to do anything. second watch your angergy scarcatist words , they are cruel and uncalled for, do you really think you can understand the situation when your looking in from the outside and only have part of the story.
death is a private afair; when the loss of zakk became the bussiness of humanity lines were crossed that should never have been touched
and thank you to hollie taylor... for defending us

[thinking from a far]

I do not know this family and while I understand that it is none of my business, what kind of society, better yet, justice system do we have that can prosecute or think about prosecuting a family that did what was in their belief, the right thing. This boy was old enough to be tried as an adult in our legal system but not old enough to decide for himself that he didn't want a doctor? That is what is wrong with our society today, too many people trying to tell other people how to live. We do have freedom of religion in this country don't we, and yes freedom of speech as well but if it was your friend, son or brother that this had happened to, you wouldn't want other people that you didn't even know, butting their nose in your personal business. I wish nothing but peace for this family during this difficult time that is supposed to be private but is now the center of the news media and the courts who think that they can control all who live.

[GirlFawkes]

friend wrote:

first off
zakk was not 18 but he was not an ignorant child IF he had wanted to go and get medical treatment he would have been able to go. no one forced him to do anything. second watch your angergy scarcatist words , they are cruel and uncalled for, do you really think you can understand the situation when your looking in from the outside and only have part of the story.
death is a private afair; when the loss of zakk became the bussiness of humanity lines were crossed that should never have been touched
and thank you to hollie taylor... for defending us

Death is not a private affair when it involves possible abuse, neglect or outright malice.

Part of the story? Why don't you enlighten us as to the rest. If you have important information that has thus not been revealed in the police report, I would love to hear it. Try to change my reasoning.