Pa. parents convicted of manslaughter in pneumonia death of girl

READING, Pa. (AP) — The parents of a 2-year-old Pennsylvania girl who died of pneumonia have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors said they declined to seek medical care for the child on religious grounds.

The Reading Eagle reports that 35-year-old Jonathan Foster and 34-year-old Grace Foster were also convicted Friday of child endangerment in the November 2016 death of their daughter Ella Grace in Upper Tulpehocken Township.

The Fosters, who remain free pending sentencing in April, previously gave up custody of six other children who ranged in age from 1 to 12 years old.

They belong to Faith Tabernacle Congregation, which instructs members to avoid doctors and pharmaceutical drugs. Defense attorneys argued their clients thought their daughter only had a cold. Their pastor was acquitted of failure to report suspected abuse.