Oregon couple Dale and Shannon Hickman blamed for baby's death

An Oregon couple faces manslaughter charges for failing to get medical care for their premature baby.

Dale and Shannon Hickman did not get care for their baby, David, who was bo two months' prematurely, because they are members of a religious group that believes in faith-based healing, according to the Oregonian.

The baby lived for nine hours before dying from a bacterial infection. His birth was attended by female church members who consider themselves midwives, the paper said

But it's unclear if they have proper medical training for the job

Parents: Shannon and Dale Hickman, from Oregon, have been charged with second-degree manslaughter over the death of their baby David

Prosecutors say the Hickmans should have put aside their own beliefs and put their child first and say that the couple's refusal to seek medical care caused the baby's death.

The defense is likely to argue that the Hickmans did not know their child was in danger.

The couple is the fourth pair prosecuted in the past two years by the Clackamas County district attoey's office for failing to seek medical care for a child, KOIN in Portland reported.

All but one of those tried in the previous cases was found guilty and sent to prison.