US couple facing death charge flee to NZ

An American couple accused of killing their 7-year-old adopted son and fleeing to New Zealand are in Auckland.

Leaders of a church in east Auckland were stunned to hear they have been attending services.

Kevin Robertson, ministry leader at Hillside Community Church, said Tim and Sarah Johnson and their family had been attending the church for a short time.

‘‘I don’t know them very well but they are nice people – they’ve got six children I think.’’

Robertson admitted he was surprised to hear of the case in the United States – a call from Fairfax Media was the first he knew of it.

A district attorney in the US alleges that the boy died in a vomit-soaked bed after a weekslong illness that his parents failed to properly address, instead administering ‘‘medical honey’’ and praying over him.

Timothy, 39, and Sarah Johnson, 38, are accused of gross misdemeanour child neglect charges.

The couple did not show up for their first court appearance on Tuesday in the US. A warrant was issued for their arrest yesterday.

A county attorney claimed the couple had fled to New Zealand. New Zealand police say they are aware of the case but refused to comment further.

Another child of the couple resides in New Zealand.

The charges against the pair have a maximum sentence of one year in prison each. They stem from the death of their adopted son Seth, in March 2015.

Doctors found he died of acute untreated pancreatis and possible sepsis. He had sores on his body indicating long periods of immobility.

The Johnsons told police they had noticed substantial changes in Seth’s behaviour in the weeks leading up to his death, including shaking, lesions, insomnia, and self-harm. They said Seth would throw himself down the stairs and hit his head.

According to court documents, the pair did not seek medical attention for Seth as they had ‘‘issues with going to doctors,’’ instead undertaking their own research and diagnosing their son with post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury.

They also referred to a fetal alcohol syndrome diagnosis but no evidence has been found of that.

Medical honey and an antibiotic ointment were administered to Seth.

In the days leading up to his death, the Johnsons were out of town and left Seth in the care of their 16-year-old son, court documents show.

He called them the day before Seth died, saying Seth was lethargic and was not eating, speaking, or getting out of bed.

Upon their return Seth remained unresponsive, the court documents show. They prayed for his health and considered calling the authorities, but put off the decision till the morning, instead equipping an alarm that would alert them should he get up and off his mattress.

The next morning they awoke to find him covered in vomit and unresponsive. Emergency services were called but Seth was announced dead at the scene.

– Fairfax NZ