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BlueWaveNeverEnd

(14,287 posts)
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 12:03 AM Feb 22

South Carolina: yMom of 7-year-old hospitalized with brain swelling from measles: 'I still wouldn't have given my son th

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/measles-encephalitis-south-carolina-anti-vaccine-b2918500.html?test_group=lighteradlayout


Mom of 7-year-old hospitalized with brain swelling from measles: ‘I still wouldn’t have given my son the vaccine’


EXCLUSIVE: South Carolina parents living in the state’s measles epicenter tell Rhian Lubin of their devastation after their unvaccinated 7-year-old son, Ethan, developed encephalitis, a complication from the virus that causes swelling and inflammation in the brain
.


Six weeks ago, Ethan was like most 7-year-olds — spending the weekend riding his new bike or playing Minecraft on his iPad on a rainy day.

----.”

Instead, since late January, the schoolboy has been confined to a hospital bed with measles encephalitis, a complication that causes swelling and inflammation in the brain. “He's pretty much as if he was paralyzed,” his devastated father, 41, told The Independent in a phone interview from his son’s hospital bedside

Ethan’s parents decided not to immunize him against measles as they did with his three brothers. Three out of four of them contracted measles. Still, despite Ethan’s ordeal, his mom stands by their decision. “We’re not blaming God for this,” said 35-year-old Kristina. “Yes, it hurts, of course, it hurts. But God has chosen Ethan for a reason. God is doing something, and we're gonna glorify his name regardless.

“And we wouldn't change it any other way,” the mom continued. “If I knew this could be the outcome, I still wouldn't have given my son the vaccine.”
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South Carolina: yMom of 7-year-old hospitalized with brain swelling from measles: 'I still wouldn't have given my son th (Original Post) BlueWaveNeverEnd Feb 22 OP
Child abuse. Permanut Feb 22 #1
Yeah BlueWaveNeverEnd Feb 22 #6
I believe this, too. HeartsCanHope Feb 22 #14
My thoughts exactly. n/t DFW Feb 22 #16
Attempted murder. nt Justice matters. Feb 22 #17
It is. efhmc Feb 22 #51
Yes. Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #43
The number of idiots in this country always amazes me...the lady will let her kid die because of Gawwwd... wcmagumba Feb 22 #2
God told her not to vaccinate her son? Or has someone elevated Bobby to status as an emissary of God? pat_k Feb 22 #12
Their "god" is Donald J. Trump durablend Feb 22 #37
She is such a gross POS Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #44
"We're not blaming God for this" Takket Feb 22 #3
She has some nerve dragging God into what she did Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #45
religious freaks Skittles Feb 22 #4
Indeed! Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #46
Uneducable moran. SheltieLover Feb 22 #5
Geez. Figarosmom Feb 22 #7
Indeed! I am old enough that I had all those serious diseases and measles made me yellowdogintexas Feb 22 #15
Darwin in action, sadly..... n/t Coventina Feb 22 #8
Mom...4th grade drop out, probably pregnant at the time. Enter stage left Feb 22 #9
Lock. Her. Up? czarjak Feb 22 #10
Yes. Yes. Yes. Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #47
It sounds like the brothers missed getting their boosters. nt Ilsa Feb 22 #11
I wonder how people like this even manage to figure out how to breed. cstanleytech Feb 22 #13
Unfortunately, the ability to juxtapose genitalia requires no intelligent thought. 3catwoman3 Feb 22 #18
It amazes me that these people are all about "God's plan" stumpysbear Feb 22 #19
They're the people who would drown in a flood Bettie Feb 22 #27
Spot on! Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #48
And yet a parent who left a chemical in a soda bottle would be charged for manslaughter malaise Feb 22 #20
She must really hate her son. If she's got other kids, they ought to be taken away. Vinca Feb 22 #21
Right? Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #49
Self imposed martyrdom that she had to "sacrifice" her son to glorify god. bluesbassman Feb 22 #22
God sent the frickin' vaccine you idiot! maptap22 Feb 22 #23
God gave us everything we needed, Norbert Feb 22 #24
The mother is most likely vaccinated. Wonder if she blames the vaccine for her own personal stupidity? Buckeyeblue Feb 22 #25
These parents are stupid PJMcK Feb 22 #26
;-{)...... Goonch Feb 22 #28
You're an ahole, lady. God provided the vaccine. You are to blame! Norrrm Feb 22 #29
COUGH Next On Fox - Crowdfunding Your Child's Funeral!!! COUGH hatrack Feb 22 #30
Prosecute the parents. We are long past the point of where we need to start calling religion the bullshit that it is. LonePirate Feb 22 #31
Absolutely! Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #50
If you believe so fervently in your fucking god, why did you even send the child to the hospital? Ferrets are Cool Feb 22 #32
Right? Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #42
It has nothing to do with god, it is all on these ignorant jackass parents. They caused this sufferring and to their lostincalifornia Feb 22 #33
There is no reasoning with religious certainty. It's a circular argument that will end nowhere. Pisces Feb 22 #34
I'm sorry your mother wasn't that stupid when you were born, Kristina! Wonder Why Feb 22 #35
That is child endangerment Tree Lady Feb 22 #36
She absolutely should be held accountable. Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #41
So she Rebl2 Feb 22 #38
Exactly what she is doing Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #40
Her God is OK with it, so she is ok with the suffering child. damn!! riversedge Feb 22 #54
Absolutely vile Scott Alan Swaggerty Feb 22 #39
She's going to stick to that JBTaurus83 Feb 22 #52
What makes these crazies thing God is against vaccines? awesomerwb1 Feb 22 #53
Good question..why isnt God, by their way of thinking, also against toothpaste and aspirin? BlueWaveNeverEnd Feb 23 #55
You're apparently unaware that doG does, in fact, happen to be against toothpaste! Abolishinist Feb 23 #59
thats so crazy. BlueWaveNeverEnd Feb 23 #60
If "God" tells Kristina to step in front of a speeding train what's this "good Christian nitwit" gonna do? NoMoreRepugs Feb 23 #56
When I say "antivaxxers are moral degenerates" I am talking about people like her. RockRaven Feb 23 #57
I call these voters the "religiously insane" for a good reason! And this shows it. CTyankee Feb 23 #58

HeartsCanHope

(1,681 posts)
14. I believe this, too.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 02:22 AM
Feb 22

My mother babysit a little girl whose mother contracted measles while she was carrying her first daughter.

Her daughter was born blind, and was severely handicapped. Because of Julie, my son got every vaccine they offered!

I can't imagine risking the well being of any child, let alone 4 children! How horrible that Ethan has to pay the price

for their recklessness.

wcmagumba

(6,212 posts)
2. The number of idiots in this country always amazes me...the lady will let her kid die because of Gawwwd...
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 12:05 AM
Feb 22

pat_k

(13,393 posts)
12. God told her not to vaccinate her son? Or has someone elevated Bobby to status as an emissary of God?
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 02:20 AM
Feb 22

Takket

(23,720 posts)
3. "We're not blaming God for this"
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 12:11 AM
Feb 22

Good, as well you shouldn't. No one other than yourselves is responsible for torturing your child.

It really says something about people that they would rather cause their own child horrific pain and suffering, and possibly death, rather than consider the idea that the political tribe they have chosen to join might be incorrect.

Figarosmom

(12,047 posts)
7. Geez.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 12:32 AM
Feb 22

I'd be scared to send my kid to school now days. Some of those vaccines are for very serious diseases.

yellowdogintexas

(23,696 posts)
15. Indeed! I am old enough that I had all those serious diseases and measles made me
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 02:41 AM
Feb 22

extremely ill. I did not have any of the bad side effects but it is the sickest I remember being

Chickenpox, Measles, mumps , rubella. My daughter and her daughter have had all the vaccines (except my daughter did have chickenpox since the vax had not been made available.

3catwoman3

(29,431 posts)
18. Unfortunately, the ability to juxtapose genitalia requires no intelligent thought.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:28 AM
Feb 22

Pretty early in my 45 year career as a peds nurse practitioner, people like this idiot were one of the reasons found myself wishing that becoming a parent required some sort of licensing or screening for basic competence.

stumpysbear

(278 posts)
19. It amazes me that these people are all about "God's plan"
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:55 AM
Feb 22

but never for even a split second consider that God’s plan was to bestow on humanity the knowledge and creativity to practice medicine and cure disease. Like it’s God’s gift that little Johnny is a great quarterback due to the Lord’s blessings, but the team of doctors and scientists who made the vaccine that would have prevented this are somehow working against Gods will? People are nuts, man.

Bettie

(19,712 posts)
27. They're the people who would drown in a flood
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:16 AM
Feb 22

waiting for "god" to save them after a couple of boats and a helicopter came to evacuate them....old joke, but less funny every year as we see these people navigate the world faithful to nothing but idiocy.

malaise

(296,199 posts)
20. And yet a parent who left a chemical in a soda bottle would be charged for manslaughter
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:12 AM
Feb 22

If the child drank it and died.
These are the folks who love Donvict.

bluesbassman

(20,384 posts)
22. Self imposed martyrdom that she had to "sacrifice" her son to glorify god.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:20 AM
Feb 22

Hubris and stupidity are a dangerous combination.

maptap22

(274 posts)
23. God sent the frickin' vaccine you idiot!
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:29 AM
Feb 22

God helps those who help themselves...the magic man in the sky sent the scientists who invented the vaccine. Why don't they get it?

Norbert

(7,767 posts)
24. God gave us everything we needed,
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:32 AM
Feb 22

a functioning brain and people who have dedicated their lives to become doctors and scientists.

If your functioning brain gets clouded over so much that slick and corrupt politicians make much more sense than doctors & scientists; when you think Dr Fauchi belongs in jail or executed while RFK Jr is a breath of fresh air for our health. If you are willing to offer you child up for the cause, even though it was probably explained what the risks are, then there is very little God can do about this.

I feel horrible for this child. He may never be the same, if the child manages to live through this.

Buckeyeblue

(6,353 posts)
25. The mother is most likely vaccinated. Wonder if she blames the vaccine for her own personal stupidity?
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 09:57 AM
Feb 22

PJMcK

(25,050 posts)
26. These parents are stupid
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:09 AM
Feb 22

Blind faith has put their child’s life at risk. Their faith, which has no basis in facts, is mindless , moronic and self-destructive.

The mother is incapable of learning but thinks she understands the universe because of an Iron Age mythology. Pathetic.

Norrrm

(5,077 posts)
29. You're an ahole, lady. God provided the vaccine. You are to blame!
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:33 AM
Feb 22

(Reinforcement for comments already made)

LonePirate

(14,367 posts)
31. Prosecute the parents. We are long past the point of where we need to start calling religion the bullshit that it is.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:45 AM
Feb 22

Ferrets are Cool

(22,964 posts)
32. If you believe so fervently in your fucking god, why did you even send the child to the hospital?
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 11:05 AM
Feb 22

Why not just pray that shit away? FUCK these assholes.

lostincalifornia

(5,366 posts)
33. It has nothing to do with god, it is all on these ignorant jackass parents. They caused this sufferring and to their
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 11:13 AM
Feb 22

child.

The measles vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines available.

There is no vaccine for STUPIDITY THOUGH.


Pisces

(6,252 posts)
34. There is no reasoning with religious certainty. It's a circular argument that will end nowhere.
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 11:49 AM
Feb 22

Tree Lady

(13,284 posts)
36. That is child endangerment
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:55 PM
Feb 22

And parent should be held accountable. When a simple shot could have prevented it that's practically murder because they are saying no matter what they would not do it.

Rebl2

(17,750 posts)
38. So she
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 11:20 PM
Feb 22

is okay with making her child suffer through this. Now she may have brain damaged child now that she will have to deal with for years to come.

JBTaurus83

(1,399 posts)
52. She's going to stick to that
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 11:49 PM
Feb 22

Because she doesn’t want to admit she possibly could murder her own child.

Abolishinist

(2,960 posts)
59. You're apparently unaware that doG does, in fact, happen to be against toothpaste!
Mon Feb 23, 2026, 02:59 AM
Feb 23

In a preview of his forthcoming immortality cookbook, the bondservant of Christ John warned about the dangers of toothpaste. The man of God said that toothpaste used first thing in the morning right after waking becomes a daily numbing input, targeting the nerve-rich area under the tongue, disrupting body chemistry, dulling spiritual sensitivity, and weakening dream recall.

You see, under your tongue controls your entire system. 100% of your nervous system. The strongest version of your nerves are found underneath your tongue. So you know what you did? You take a chemical and you start it fuels and messes up your entire nervous at your tongue.

Check out this video at 4:28, it will change your morning routine!



NoMoreRepugs

(12,089 posts)
56. If "God" tells Kristina to step in front of a speeding train what's this "good Christian nitwit" gonna do?
Mon Feb 23, 2026, 12:19 AM
Feb 23

RockRaven

(19,405 posts)
57. When I say "antivaxxers are moral degenerates" I am talking about people like her.
Mon Feb 23, 2026, 12:22 AM
Feb 23

This is some deranged psycho shit that cannot be excused by appeals to tolerance of different religious persuasions. Fuck that.

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