Police: Vegan couple ignored doctors' advice until starving baby was 'close to death'

WEBVTT SUMMER: DETECTIVES SAY IT’S LIKE SOMETHING THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN. AND NOW THE INFANT’S PARENTS ARE UNDER ARREST. STEWART: WESH 2’S DAN BILLOW HAS THE DETAILS ON THIS ALL NEW AT 5:30 DAN: TITUSVILLE POLICE SAY 20-YEAR-OLD JULIA FRENCH GAVE BIRTH TO A SON LAST SEPTEMBER. 31-YEAR-OLD ROBERT BUSKEY IS THE FATHER. THEY’RE CHARGED WITH CHILD NEGLECT. A POLICE REPORT SAYS WHEN OFFICERS SAW THEIR BABY IN THEIR TITUSVILLE HOME YESTERDAY, HE HAD SUNKEN EYES, LOOSE SKIN ON HIS EXTREMITIES, RIBS AND OTHER BONES WERE SHOWING HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE. >> I’VE NEVER SEEN A CHILD TO THIS LEVEL, THIS CLOSE TO POSSIBLE DEATH DAN: POLICE SAY FRENCH AND BUSKEY ARE NOT OFFICIALLY MARRIED UNDER FLORIDA LAW, BUT A PERSON FAMILIAR WITH THE INVESTIGATION SAYS FRENCH DESCRIBES HERSELF AS BUSKEY’S CONCUBINE UNDER THE PRINCIPLES OF THEIR RELIGION, NAZARITE HEBREW. DOCUMENTS SHOW WHEN THE BABY WAS BORN HE WEIGHED SEVEN POUNDS, NINE OUNCES. YESTERDAY, WHEN FOUND, HE WEIGHED EIGHT POUNDS, EIGHT OUNCES. HE HAD GAINED LESS THAN ONE POUND IN THE 5 MONTHS SINCE HIS BIRTH. >> IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE END UP BEING A HOMICIDE. DAN: POLICE SAY THEY IGNORED DOCTORS’ ADVICE ON THE TYPE OF FORMULA CONSISTENT WITH THEIR VEGAN LIFESTYLE, AND INSTEAD SPOON-FED HIM A MASHED-POTATO-BASED COMPOUND THAT FRENCH HAD FOUND ON THE INTERNET. POLICE SAY THEY COULD AFFORD T PROPER FORMULA AND FOOD, AND WHEN ASKED, HAD NO GOOD REASON WHY THEY DID NOT PROVIDE I

A Florida couple is accused of starving their baby so badly he seemed near death.Authorities said the baby's parents, Julia French, 20, and Robert Buskey, are facing charges of child neglect.According to an arrest report, when officers saw the baby in the couple's Titusville home Wednesday, he had sunken eyes, loose skin on his extremities, and his ribs and other bones were showing.Authorities said the child was unable to move."I've never seen a child to this level; this close to possible death," said Lauren Watson, with Titsuville police.Officials said French and Buskey are not officially married under Florida law, but a person familiar with the investigation says French describes herself as Buskey’s concubine under the principles of their religion, Nazarite Hebrew. Documents said when the baby was born in September he weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces. When found, authorities said the child weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces. Police said the couple ignored doctors’ advice on the type of formula consistent with their vegan lifestyle, and instead spoon-fed him a mashed-potato-based compound that French had found on the internet. Police said they could afford the proper formula and food, and when asked, had no good reason why they did not provide it.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. —

A Florida couple is accused of starving their baby so badly he seemed near death.

Authorities said the baby's parents, Julia French, 20, and Robert Buskey, are facing charges of child neglect.

According to an arrest report, when officers saw the baby in the couple's Titusville home Wednesday, he had sunken eyes, loose skin on his extremities, and his ribs and other bones were showing.

Authorities said the child was unable to move.

"I've never seen a child to this level; this close to possible death," said Lauren Watson, with Titsuville police.

Officials said French and Buskey are not officially married under Florida law, but a person familiar with the investigation says French describes herself as Buskey’s concubine under the principles of their religion, Nazarite Hebrew.

Documents said when the baby was born in September he weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces.

When found, authorities said the child weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces.

Police said the couple ignored doctors’ advice on the type of formula consistent with their vegan lifestyle, and instead spoon-fed him a mashed-potato-based compound that French had found on the internet.

Police said they could afford the proper formula and food, and when asked, had no good reason why they did not provide it.

��vlog