A Christian mother who allowed her daughter to die a horrific death because she assumed God would step in to fix everything has been found guilty of murder.
This story goes back to 2018 when Tatiana Elena Fusari and Seth Michael Welch were charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of their daughter Mary.
Mary, who only lived to be 10 months old, was very skinny at the end of her life due to malnutrition and dehydration. Her parents did nothing about it, citing religious reasons for not taking her to a doctor. They basically thought God would magically take care of everything.
“In the Bible, it says that good food is our medicine. We fed her. We were feeding her chicken, potatoes, apples, cheese. We were giving her the good stuff,” Welch said. “She died. It’s a tragedy. … The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh.”
They weren’t feeding her enough:
Prosecutors alleged that the infant hadn’t been fed in days, having gained only a single pound in the ten months since her birth.
In addition to the horrifying cruelty, the couple made headlines for the shocked looks on their faces upon learning that letting your child die in the name of God was a crime punishable with life in prison.
In January of 2020, the father, Seth Welch, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. And on Thursday, a jury found mother Tatiana Fusari guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse. Her lawyer plans to appeal, however slim the chances may be that her conviction will be overturned. Fusari also faces life in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 17.
Fusari testified on her own behalf and claimed she was the victim of severe physical, emotional and mental abuse by her husband. She claimed he prevented her from providing the care their daughter needed.
When Mary was born, the couple also had two other children, ages 2 and 4. Another child was born in January 2019 after Fusari was incarcerated.
All three are now under the state’s jurisdiction and doing well, prosecutors said. Fusari is expected to have her parental rights terminated.
Fusari could’ve taken a plea deal last year that would’ve allowed her to get out of jail within her lifetime, but she and her lawyers decided to put her fate in the hands of the jury, and the jury only needed three hours to deliberate before they found her guilty of even more serious charges.
It’s hard to feel any sympathy for her. While her lawyers said she was a victim of domestic abuse, none of it negates how she allowed her daughter to die needlessly. Had they been more responsible parents, taking their sick child to a doctor instead of resorting to faith-healing, that child would almost certainly still be alive today. It’s the faith-based negligence of these parents that sent their daughter to the grave.
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."