year-old son became sick with flu-like symptoms, the faithful mother chose the same prescription she has used for years: prayer. This time, though, her son Jesse did not recover and Burdette was charged with manslaughter. She pleaded guilty to lesser charges and avoided prison, in part because authorities lost a tissue sample that was crucial to proving that her son died of bacterial pneumonia, which is treatable, rather than viral pneumonia, which generally isn't. Pale, coughing and weighing only 130 pounds at the end, Jesse died in his mother's bed the night of March 19, 2008. His mom called a friend, then her daughter. She never called emergency services. “Because of my religious beliefs I trust in God to forgive my sins and for physical healing,” she told investigators. “We're not discouraged ... from seeking medical help, but I chose to totally trust God for Jesse's healing. Jesse and I both prayed for his healing.” Burdette had used prayer as an antidote since Jesse was little. Once, he bumped his head on a hearth and Burdette asked a fellow church member to pray for him. Soon, he was acting like nothing ever happened. Prosecutors initially decided to seek a felony charge that carried a sentence of two to 20 years in prison. Then, Dr. Stephen Boudreau, a medical examiner in the case, informed a prosecutor that the state laboratory couldn't find the tissue sample, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
