32. Medical Neglect: Connell Watkins & Sarah Mitchell - a podcast by Pink Collar Pod

This week we cover cases of medical neglect. Rachel starts off with the case of Connell Watkins, an unlicensed psychotherapist, who, along with her team, was responsible for the death of Candace Newmaker. Connell wrapped Candace in a blanket and pillows, her team put their combined weight on her to simulate contracts as a part of re-birthing therapy. After an hour, Candace was dead. Nathalie then tells the story of Sarah Mitchell. Sarah and her husband, Travis, were members of the Followers of Christ Church. The FCC believed people could only be healed through faith and did not believe in modern medicine. Sarah was pregnant and went into labor two months before her due date. Even though both of the babies were experiencing difficulty breathing, no one called 911. One of the babies died, resulting in Sarah and Travis’s arrest. The two plead guilty to negligent homicide and criminal mistreatment.

Rachel’s Sources

Harlow Study Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrNBEhzjg8I

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/harlows-classic-studies-revealed-the-importance-of-maternal-contact.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Harlow

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1174742/

https://web.archive.org/web/20090616035739/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0%2C1299%2CDRMN_15_691211%2C00.html

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=127067&page=1

https://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/candace.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candace_Newmaker

Nathalie's Sources:

https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2018/07/faith-healing_parents_plead_to.html

https://www.clackamas.us/news/2018-07-09/travis-mitchell-and-sarah-mitchell-plead-guilty

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/07/10/a-religious-oregon-couple-didnt-get-medical-care-for-their-newborn-the-child-died-and-now-theyre-going-to-prison/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/apxcouple-who-prayed-for-healing-plead-guilty-in-baby-s-death/

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/religious-parents-refuse-medical-care-baby-dies-oregon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healing

Further episodes of Pink Collar: A True Crime Podcast

Further podcasts by Pink Collar Pod

Website of Pink Collar Pod