Sentence appeal rejected for parents who failed to take dying boy to doctor in time

Alberta's top court has refused to lower the sentences for Jennifer and Jeromie Clark, whose toddler son died after they refused to take him to a doctor.

Last September, the Alberta Court of Appeal rejected the Clarks' bid to have their convictions overturned. On Thursday, the Clarks lost their sentence appeal.

The Calgary parents were found guilty of criminal negligence causing death and failure to provide the necessaries of life for the 2013 death of their 14-month-old son, John.

They were each handed 32-month sentences in June 2019, but both have since been granted parole.

The panel of judges found there were no errors in law and that the sentence was not unfit.

John was malnourished and died from a staph infection less than 24 hours after he was admitted to hospital.

There was evidence the parents looked up natural remedies on the internet for gangrene before they sought medical intervention.

On Nov. 28, 2013, John was brought to hospital with black toes and a blistering rash covering most of his body.

Before he died, John had two seizures and went into cardiac arrest.

The boy was in the final stages of fighting an overwhelming infection.

During the trial, medical witnesses testified that if the boy had seen doctors earlier, he almost certainly would have survived.