Authorities were investigating the death of a newborn who died after her parents reportedly did not seek medical treatment for an infection for religious reasons
Rhiana Rose Schmidt was less than 2 days old when she died Aug. 19 at the home of her parents, who are members of a church that advocates faith healing instead of medical intervention, police said.
Preliminary autopsy reports show the girl died of puerperal sepsis, an infection likely acquired at birth and typically treated with antibiotics.
Elders of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn in Morgantown were called to the rural Franklin home of DeWayne and Maleta Schmidt to pray for the child, but no one sought medical help, police said.
The family knew the baby was ill, Johnson County sheriff's Lt. Mike McElwain said.
"They're very cooperative," McElwain said. "They're very nice people. They just don't believe in medical treatment."
Maleta Schmidt, when contacted Monday for comment, said, "We'd rather not talk about it at this time." She said the family had not hired an attorney.
Investigators have not found any criminal intent among the child's caregivers, McElwain said.
Tom Nation, an elder at the church about 20 miles south of Indianapolis, said the about 150 church members trust in God to cure illnesses.
"How many babies die in the hospital every day?" he asked. "I don't feel like doctors ever save a person's life. They think they do, but how do they know?"
Child protection services caseworkers found the couple's other child, a 4-year-old, to be fine, McElwain said.