GUILTY MI - Mary Welch, 10 mos, died, parents refused treatment for religious reasons, Solon, 2 Aug 2018

[MsMarple]

I believe that child abuse is often the result of an addiction to power and control. In this case, the addiction to power was so strong, that the parents believed that they could act as god, not the loving Father that we see healing the sick and blessing the children, but a horrible god of their own creation.

I suspect that they became gods in their own eyes, believing they had power and control over all things and all people, including the life and death of their child. They also had power and control over Child Services, doctors and even power over the law. So his reaction of surprise may have been genuine. He could been surprised to find himself facing murder charges, because that wouldn't fit with his religious belief that he is god and therefore he has done nothing wrong,

musicaljoke I initially thought your comment about the parents acting as god and the need for power and control was off but now I'm firmly in agreement. Not so much with the mother but definitely with the father. After watching his interview and his behavior in court I'm convinced Seth Welch wants his own little kingdom which may be why they don't seem to belong to a particular Christian denomination.

Take a look at this FB page he set up in February:
Seth Welch - A Mind Regenerated by Christ

 

[Jennifer17]

musicaljoke I initially thought your comment about the parents acting as god and the need for power and control was off but now I'm firmly in agreement. Not so much with the mother but definitely with the father. After watching his interview and his behavior in court I'm convinced Seth Welch wants his own little kingdom which may be why they don't seem to belong to a particular Christian denomination.

Take a look at this FB page he set up in February:
Seth Welch - A Mind Regenerated by Christ

There seem to be so many of them though.
On another Emagazine site I read, there is one man who after just about every comment, tells people they have to be saved or God will smite them. He is a walking Old Testament.

 

[Inspector Gidget]

"
Fusari pushed back against police reports that indicated the baby was obviously skinny, malnourished, and sick-looking.

“She was premature, so we knew she would be petite,” Fusari said. “It was after she died that she started to appear that way.”

How would she know the baby was premature if no hospitals or doctors involved?
Mom accused of starving baby: 'I dream about her'

 

[Jennifer17]

"
Fusari pushed back against police reports that indicated the baby was obviously skinny, malnourished, and sick-looking.

“She was premature, so we knew she would be petite,” Fusari said. “It was after she died that she started to appear that way.”

How would she know the baby was premature if no hospitals or doctors involved?
Mom accused of starving baby: 'I dream about her'

I am quite sure that doctors know what a normal, even though small, baby looks like after death. Cot death babies are otherwise normal babies and I can vouch for the fact that their eyes and cheeks are not sunken in. They do not lose weight hours after death.

 

[human]

I wonder what he did in his past. I have noticed that people who become very rigid in religion think they can get salvation by being rigid. It is because of some kind of unsavory past

 

[Jennifer17]

I wonder what he did in his past. I have noticed that people who become very rigid in religion think they can get salvation by being rigid. It is because of some kind of unsavory past

Or maybe not criminal but aimless and unstructured and then they find God.

 

[2Hope4]

I watched more of his videos than I would like to admit. He claims adultry, drug use, watching *advertiser censored* are some of his more recent sins.

I can't understand taking time to do those videos, but not wake up a baby. I don't know of any healthy baby that slept that many hours at a time. Sure newborns sleep alot, but even then they are awake every few hours to eat.

This couple is claiming ALL of their children would sleep 16hrs straight!

My youngest was 6lbs 1 oz at birth. She was under 6lbs when we came home from the hospital. I don't know how long she would have slept, but the doctors told me that she as a 'lazy feeder' and to wake her up to eat. By the time she was 2-3 months old, she weighed enough to satisfy the doctors and she routinely woke up when she was hungry, usually every 4 hrs at least. I just don't see a 10 month old sleeping for 16 hrs!

Even when they take 2hr naps, they wake up with wet diapers! How in the world could you prevent diaper rash if she stayed in the same diaper for 16hrs? And what brand of diapers could hold up to that many hours?

Soo much doesn't make sense, and that's probably because it's not true.

In his videos, there's lots of things that he says in them, that he later says the opposite. I wish I could remember all the ones I noticed, but maybe I'll go back and try writing them down.

He says they were having financial difficulties, and someone he had just met gave him $500. He doesn't agree with his parents and think they are worldly and not into God enough. There's a few people that were close to him that he wrote off completely when they don't agree with him. In one video a young girl, maybe 4 to 6 yrs old is playing while he is doing his 'sermon'.... he quickly snaps his finger at her, and you don't see or hear her again. In another video I think around July 4th, you can hear baby Mary cooing in the background, but I didn't see her in the video, or see/hear him doing any interaction with her.

I don't know if it's mental illness, or what the problem is, but there's a disconnect with reality, IMO.

 

[2Hope4]

One thing I just remembered, he was telling the reporter, in the interview from jail, that his family is skinny, and his nickname was chicken legs. Yet on his FB, when talking about different sins, someone posted that being overweight could also be seen at a sin. He responded that his family was 'stout', and so losing weight was difficult.

 

[Jewels53]

Two jailhouse interviews with dad. Lots at the link. Be prepared for religious rationalizations and other nonsensical stuff. Like this:

"God instructed Abraham to bring his child unto the altar. While human sacrifice in such a way is not a part of our religion — that is not what I am trying to communicate; please, I beg of you, do not chop my words. You will face God for it if you do," Welch said. "The lesson is to say that we have to be willing to go that far in our following of Christ. We have to be willing to give it all up, to put everything on the table for him."

Dad: Charges in baby's death 'unfair,' about faith
The state has filed to terminate the parental rights of their two surviving children.

Ironic that the parents operate a profitable farm yet their daughter died of dehydration and malnutrition.
http://www.greenmichigan.org/farm/blackacre-farm-products/

I tried to listen to his jail interview and he just makes me sick. I listened off and on for about 10 minutes with many breaks in between. Religion my foot and his fake crying I just couldn't listen anymore.

I hope the 2 of them get the max sentence possible!

 

[FlossyMay]

I don't partake, but I know people who smoke marijuana to relax. I thought I read that at least one child was born with it in their system. Maybe that's why all their children slept so much.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Michigan man accused in child's neglect death says charges unfair

 

[cybervampira]

Michigan man accused in child's neglect death says charges unfair

From link:

"I believe I am being unfairly charged, being made an example of for my very strong faith," Welch said.

POOR ME! I almost shed a tear. NOT!

He said he cared for his children without the aid of a doctor because of his religious beliefs. The father didn't define his religion.

I think his religion is called I‘M A FRIDIOT WHO LOVES TO HEAR MYSELF TALK.

 

[borndem]

I wonder if she always small and malnourished? A baby can lose a lot of weight and become dehydrated with a bout of gastroenteritis in a short time, but you get them treatment and on a drip if it is bad enough.

A baby can get dehydrated very quickly with a bout of vomiting or diarrhea -- but -- they can bounce back quickly with a bottle of water, and an IV of fluids/electrolytes,etc. A dehydrated person, especially a baby, would show signs of it very quickly. A squeaky cry, a look in the eyes, etc., etc. Give the baby a bottle of water, get in the car and go to the ER -- and if you don't believe in getting medical treatment, just keep up with the liquids -- Pedia-lyte is available at grocery or drug stores. After having had other babies, why didn't mommy notice something was wrong?

Some sick babies have dire diagnoses and very little can be done to make things better, but, IMO, this was a death that didn't have to happen. It's criminal, and they are in the right place -- their little baby girl is not.

 

[borndem]

Breast fed once a day? And why was the breast feeding mother the only one working?

Any mother who has breast fed a baby -- especially a young baby -- knows that breast feeding only once a day will result in the nursing mother's body producing a small supply of milk, i.e., the more the baby nurses, the better your supply of milk, assuming the nursing mother is healthy, hydrated and has no problems with the body processes involving nursing. After having two other children, assuming she nursed them, she would know this.

If the mother wants to stop or curtail breast feeding, the baby would have to be fed formula, etc., to make up for the lack of breast milk and the nutrients it contains. This is not rocket science, folks, as we all know.

 

[borndem]

Or maybe not criminal but aimless and unstructured and then they find God.

Yes, indeed, but this "god" that they find is fashioned from their own mold and background -- their god says this, that and the other, and some of these folks, if they read the Bible, often interpret what they read to suit them. We've seen this in numerous instances, and that's a part of what we have here. Scary and dangerous stuff.

 

[MsMarple]

I watched more of his videos than I would like to admit. He claims adultry, drug use, watching *advertiser censored* are some of his more recent sins.

I can't understand taking time to do those videos, but not wake up a baby. I don't know of any healthy baby that slept that many hours at a time. Sure newborns sleep alot, but even then they are awake every few hours to eat.

This couple is claiming ALL of their children would sleep 16hrs straight!

My youngest was 6lbs 1 oz at birth. She was under 6lbs when we came home from the hospital. I don't know how long she would have slept, but the doctors told me that she as a 'lazy feeder' and to wake her up to eat. By the time she was 2-3 months old, she weighed enough to satisfy the doctors and she routinely woke up when she was hungry, usually every 4 hrs at least. I just don't see a 10 month old sleeping for 16 hrs!

Even when they take 2hr naps, they wake up with wet diapers! How in the world could you prevent diaper rash if she stayed in the same diaper for 16hrs? And what brand of diapers could hold up to that many hours?

Soo much doesn't make sense, and that's probably because it's not true.

In his videos, there's lots of things that he says in them, that he later says the opposite. I wish I could remember all the ones I noticed, but maybe I'll go back and try writing them down.

He says they were having financial difficulties, and someone he had just met gave him $500. He doesn't agree with his parents and think they are worldly and not into God enough. There's a few people that were close to him that he wrote off completely when they don't agree with him. In one video a young girl, maybe 4 to 6 yrs old is playing while he is doing his 'sermon'.... he quickly snaps his finger at her, and you don't see or hear her again. In another video I think around July 4th, you can hear baby Mary cooing in the background, but I didn't see her in the video, or see/hear him doing any interaction with her.

I don't know if it's mental illness, or what the problem is, but there's a disconnect with reality, IMO.

It reminds me of Brittany Marie Wiest who was busy producing erotic YouTube videos while her poor baby Anakin starved to death. In at least one you could see his playpen shoved into a corner. Ugh. She's in jail now. Oh, I recently saw that she's listed herself on one of those prison pen pals sites. SMH.

For someone who ostensibly eschews "wordly goods" Welch seems to be preoccupied with money. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought he'd become a rich and powerful leader in that FB group he was promoting. He doesn't strike me as very bright though. And I doubt he paid much attention to his kids - more like wanting his wife to birth as many as possible. JMOO.

 

[MsMarple]

Probable Cause hearing scheduled for Oct. 10.

Seth Welch and his wife, Tatiana Fusari, both 27, had brief court appearances Monday, Aug. 20, before 63rd District Judge Sara Smolenski.

The judge ordered the couple to have no contact with any potential witnesses. She also said no bond would be set.

Smolenski will determine at the upcoming probable-cause hearing if there is sufficient evidence to bind the couple over for trial in Kent County Circuit Court.

Couple 'grief stricken' after daughter's alleged malnutrition death, attorney says
According to their attorneys the parents are grief stricken.

 

[musicaljoke]

According to their attorneys the parents are grief stricken.

About what, I wonder?

Hmm... Probably about having to pay all those attorney fees.

 

[FlossyMay]

About what, I wonder?

Hmm... Probably about having to pay all those attorney fees.

About having to sit in jail and not make YouTube videos.

 

[rjay]

Honestly that video of him being so theatrically surprised screams performance to me. Mum was the one working. Breast feeding a 10 month old baby once a day? No wonder she slept so much! It's possible he was lying to mum about how much he'd fed the baby while she was away if that was the daily routine. He seems like a very self focused individual. Not excusing the mum of course. There's previous intervention from CPS regarding a drug exposed infant according to a screenshot I've seen on another site so that's not good.

I think the wording of his post about the baby's death is very telling.

Seth Welch

The 'heart is about shattered' and 'woke up to Mary dead in her bed'.. there is a lack of ownership. To really own the emotion people would usually say" MY heart is about shattered" the avoidance of doing that can point to insincerity in the statement.

The interesting thing is he only consistently uses that lack of ownership UNTIL it comes to his statement about how he feels about being in the isolation cell. Obviously a true statement.

And who would talk about their precious baby like that? "Dead in her bed" is so harsh. Loving relatives of anyone deceased tend to avoid using harsh words like "dead". That's why there's phrases like "passed away" "crossed over" "at peace" "at rest" "gone" etc etc

Agreed! Who would even post that on FB? If my child died, logging in to FB would be the last thing on my mind.