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Ore. parents arrested in death of son, 16

The Columbian
Published: February 9, 2012, 4:00pm

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Lane County sheriff’s officers say the mother and stepfather of a Creswell, Ore., teen who died last December have been arrested on second-degree manslaughter charges.

Lt. Spence Slater said Brandi Bellew and Russel Bellew were arrested Friday in the Dec. 20 death of 16-year-old Austin Sprout. The sheriff’s office says his parents declined to seek any medical attention for the boy, “reportedly due to their religious beliefs.” He had been ill for more than a week.

KVAL-TV reports the parents are affiliated with the General Assembly Church of the First Born.

The teen’s cause of death has not been released but Slater said medical professionals have indicated the condition was “highly treatable.”

Under Oregon law, second-degree manslaughter includes causing a dependent person’s death by neglect or maltreatment, including failure to provide adequate medical care.

It was not immediately known whether the Bellews were represented by a lawyer.

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