Charges: New Prague parents grossly neglected boy with rare neuro-genetic disorder
(Faribault, MN) – A New Prague couple has been charged after their son suffered extreme health issues resulting from his parent’s alleged neglect.
Shaun Michael-Paul Haenlein, 41, and Carly Rose Humphrey, 40, were each charged Wednesday in Rice County Court with felony counts of child neglect and child endangerment.
Court documents say the 11-year-old boy has a rare neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system. The boy apparently suffers epileptic seizures, severe intellectual disability, developmental disability, speaking problems, balance and movement impairments, and sleep problems. The complaint says the child is able to do some crawling, feeding, and drinking, but only with supervision. His condition leaves him dependent on caretakers.
Rice County Social Services contacted police on May 8, about four days after the boy was admitted to intensive care at Gillette Children’s Hospital where he had to be intubated, was in septic shock, and was suffering from severe dehydration and acute liver failure, according to the complaint.
Investigators later learned that Haenlein and Humphrey had failed to seek medical attention for their child five days prior to his hospitalization. The criminal complaint says the boy began experiencing a series of seizures on April 29th that increased in length and severity. By May 1st, the child had roughly six or seven seizures, wasn’t eating, and could only take water through a syringe, according to the complaint. His condition continued to deteriorate until the night of May 4th, when he was taken to the emergency room with a high fever.
The child’s primary neurologist, Dr. Galen Breningstall, told law enforcement that Haenlein and Humphrey had a history of not showing up for the boy’s appointments. Court documents say the couple skipped scheduled appointments in July 2018 and March 2019. Breningstall said the child should be seen by a neurologist at least two to four times a year, but had not been seen in three years. Brengingstall told investigators that Haenlein and Humphrey’s neglect of the boy’s medical treatment put the child at further risk for brain injury.
Investigators also spoke with the head neurologist at Gillette. Dr. Steven Baisch told police that Haenlein and Humphrey’s failure to seek medical attention for their son’s needs caused “catastrophic damage” to the child’s well-being.
The boy was hospitalized until June 12th, then discharged to foster care, according to the complaint.
Police say Haenlein and Humphrey do not hold jobs outside the home and were living with the boy and his two siblings in their pastor’s basement. The pastor was in the process of evicting the family after the 11-year-old’s hospitalization.
Both have been summoned to appear in Rice County Court on December 11th.
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