Here’s an awful story: Three-year-old Brooklyn Hunter was shaken, beaten, and abused by her stepfather last month, shattering her skull and putting her in the ER.

There’s some good news: She’s doing better. She’s conscious of what’s going on around her. She knows it’s Christmas. She wants a doll, etc… and she’ll go in for another surgery soon.
But what stands out in this article is the boneheaded thing one of her doctors said:
Since the incident, [mother] Hunter and Albuquerque Police Department Sgt. Ferris Simmons, who first responded to the crime, have been at Brooklyn’s hospital bedside and prayed for a recovery.
UNM’s Chief Pediatric ER doctor, Robert Sapien, said prayer can work.
“It’s in the scientific literature actually,” he said. “They’ve studied remote prayer and it can be very, very effective.”
That’s the Chief Pediatric ER doctor?! The person who went through years of schooling so he could help kids in situations just like these says prayer is the answer?! Well, if that’s the case, Doctor, step away from the operating table and get on your knees.
Or, better yet, admit that “the scientific literature” on the efficacy of intercessory prayer is faulty (if not harmful) and then tell the reporter that your team of surgeons and staff, and the attention and care given to Brooklyn by those who love her, played a much more important role in helping the child than god ever could. Magic is not an option for her.
Maybe the reporter in question has to remain objective, but I sense a little jab at the doctor’s soundbyte in the very next sentence:
Doctors said Brooklyn has lost partial eyesight but it’s unclear if she will go completely blind.
Thanks for that, Jesus.
Brooklyn, I hope you’re under the care of doctors who know what they’re doing and who don’t depend on prayer to get the job done.
…
Just FYI, I contacted the hospital to see if there was a way readers could donate presents to Brooklyn. So far, I haven’t heard back from them. But I’ll post something if I find out more…
(Thanks to Jennifer for the link)