(NewsReady.com) – Before a child reaches 18, their parents have the right to make medical decisions for them. However, there are some exceptions to that rule. An Oregon mother will now serve jail time for refusing to allow her daughter to receive a lifesaving cancer treatment.
On February 27, Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Michael Wetzel sentenced Christina Dixon to 90 days in jail and 24 months of probation. Last fall, a jury found her guilty of two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment and first-degree custodial interference.
The case against the mother started in 2019 when her then-13-year-old daughter, Kylee Dixon, didn’t show up to a scheduled surgery to treat her liver cancer. The Oregon Department of Human Services responded by ordering her removal from her mother’s home.
Instead of surrendering her daughter to state custody, Dixon went on the run with her daughter. Authorities located them in Las Vegas a few days later, and the child was placed in protective custody.
Doctors diagnosed Kylee with liver cancer in 2018. She underwent three rounds of chemotherapy. Then, at some point, Dixon sought out a naturopathic doctor who said traditional treatments could shrink the tumor by 10%. So, instead of getting her daughter the surgery she needed to remove the mass, Dixon treated her with CBD oil and vitamins.
Kylee eventually underwent a successful surgery in 2020.
Dixon became the face of the parental rights movement. Some accused the state of “medically kidnapping” Kylee and forcing her to undergo cancer treatment. Prosecutors wanted the judge to impose a 19-month prison sentence, arguing she failed to protect her child at every turn and put “her daughter at risk of death.”
The defense stated that she made mistakes, but it was because she loved her daughter. Judge Wetzel called the case “very tragic,” but said Kylee didn’t support sending her mom to prison. He said he thought the lesser sentence was more appropriate given the family’s suffering already, and Dixon’s clean record.
Jim Dixon, Kylee’s father, told Oregon Live that he supported sending his ex-wife to jail and said that he doesn’t think his daughter has seen a doctor since her surgery in 2020, which is the last time he saw her as well. He said his daughter “needs a lot of love and help right now.”
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