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| Rebecca Kandare death: Parents jailed for malnourished baby killing | Rebecca Kandare death: Parents jailed for malnourished baby killing |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The parents of a dying baby girl, who failed to seek urgent medical care for her because of their religious beliefs, have been jailed. | |
| Brian Kandare, 29, and Precious Kandare, 37, of Wednesfield, West Midlands, admitted the manslaughter of eight-month-old daughter Rebecca. | Brian Kandare, 29, and Precious Kandare, 37, of Wednesfield, West Midlands, admitted the manslaughter of eight-month-old daughter Rebecca. |
| Rebecca was malnourished and had one of the worst cases of rickets seen in a UK infant, Nottingham Crown Court heard. | Rebecca was malnourished and had one of the worst cases of rickets seen in a UK infant, Nottingham Crown Court heard. |
| Brian Kandare was jailed for nine and half years and his wife for eight. | Brian Kandare was jailed for nine and half years and his wife for eight. |
| Updates on this story and more from the Black Country | Updates on this story and more from the Black Country |
| Baby Rebecca died of pneumonia as a result of malnourishment after being taken to hospital on 6 January 2014. | Baby Rebecca died of pneumonia as a result of malnourishment after being taken to hospital on 6 January 2014. |
| Prosecuting, Jonas Hankin QC said Rebecca was "significantly underweight and severely malnourished" and that she weighed about the same as a three-month-old when she died at the New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. | Prosecuting, Jonas Hankin QC said Rebecca was "significantly underweight and severely malnourished" and that she weighed about the same as a three-month-old when she died at the New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. |
| The couple earlier denied murdering their daughter but admitted manslaughter as their trial was about to begin. | The couple earlier denied murdering their daughter but admitted manslaughter as their trial was about to begin. |
| 'Supernatural power' | 'Supernatural power' |
| The pair attended the Apostolic Church of God in Wolverhampton which had strict views on modern healthcare. | The pair attended the Apostolic Church of God in Wolverhampton which had strict views on modern healthcare. |
| Members of the 20-strong congregation, who held prayers in a converted garage in the garden of a house, were encouraged to speak to the church's midwife with medical problems before seeking further help. | Members of the 20-strong congregation, who held prayers in a converted garage in the garden of a house, were encouraged to speak to the church's midwife with medical problems before seeking further help. |
| Members could also be excluded from certain church activities if they went to a doctor without permission, the court heard. | Members could also be excluded from certain church activities if they went to a doctor without permission, the court heard. |
| The Kandares handed over responsibility of the care of their sick daughter to a church midwife three days before she died, believing in her "supernatural healing powers", the court heard. | The Kandares handed over responsibility of the care of their sick daughter to a church midwife three days before she died, believing in her "supernatural healing powers", the court heard. |
| Mr Hankin said Rebecca's death was "a direct consequence of a prolonged course of wilful neglect" which involved failing to provide nutritious food and denying medical aid. | Mr Hankin said Rebecca's death was "a direct consequence of a prolonged course of wilful neglect" which involved failing to provide nutritious food and denying medical aid. |
| He told the court the "symptoms of wasting and malnutrition developed over time" and by early January the baby was feverish with a serious chest infection. | He told the court the "symptoms of wasting and malnutrition developed over time" and by early January the baby was feverish with a serious chest infection. |
| Despite "an obvious risk that she might die", the defendants denied her medical help. | Despite "an obvious risk that she might die", the defendants denied her medical help. |
| "Her illness was treatable and her death was preventable," the barrister said. | "Her illness was treatable and her death was preventable," the barrister said. |
| The court also heard that when Rebecca died she weighed 11lb 9oz (5.24kg) and there was no trace of food or milk in her stomach. | The court also heard that when Rebecca died she weighed 11lb 9oz (5.24kg) and there was no trace of food or milk in her stomach. |
| She was also suffering the worst case of rickets one experts had seen in their 33-year medical career. | She was also suffering the worst case of rickets one experts had seen in their 33-year medical career. |
| Mr Hankin said: "In prioritising their religion over their daughter's welfare, in breach of their duty to care for her, the defendants are guilty of the most serious abuse of trust." | Mr Hankin said: "In prioritising their religion over their daughter's welfare, in breach of their duty to care for her, the defendants are guilty of the most serious abuse of trust." |