Injury to a child trial starts in case of San Antonio parents who opposed vaccinations, which prosecutors say resulted in the child’s death

Caption

Marquita Johnson

Qwalion Busby

Bexar County prosecutors told a jury Wednesday that Qwalion Busby, 36, and Marquita Johnson, 33, parents of an undernourished 7-month-old boy, Naeem, should have recognized numerous serious health problems that allegedly led to his death in December 2015.

In her opening statement, prosecutor Kristina Escalona said Naeem, who only weighed about 10 pounds, died of sepsis, stemming from an untreated inner ear infection that escalated to spinal meningitis. Naeem would have survived, she said, if he had been given any one of ten antibiotics.

Defense attorneys said the parents, who did not believe in vaccinating Naeem, treated him with essential oils and other natural remedies, called 911 promptly when he showed signs of breathing problems and were cooperative with police and medics.

“But his lack of vaccinations,” said Sean Keane-Dawes, attorney for Busby, “is not relevant to this case. There was no failure to act on the part of my client.”

Busby and Johnson are charged with injury to a child due to omission

Testimony was expected to continue through the afternoon.

bselcraig@express-news.net

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