Couple tried to pray son back to life, court told

A mother cuddled her dead baby boy while family members tried to pray him back to life, Whangarei District Court has been told.

David and Catherine Tribble, of Pakotai, 60km northwest of Whangarei, were committed for trial yesterday after a three-day depositions hearing.

The couple have pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to provide the necessaries of life and endangered the life of their four-month-old son, Caleb Nathaniel Tribble, on December 5, 2003.

The court was told Caleb had lost weight, had sunken eyes and was dehydrated two days before he died.

The Tribbles were remanded on bail until a district court callover on January 21, next year.

Patricia Nairn told the court yesterday she had called into David Tribble's parents' home on the afternoon of December 5.

David and Catherine Tribble were at the home with David's parents, John and Alice.

"I went in and they were praying for Caleb," Ms Nairn said.

She said she believed Caleb was dead "because he was blue".

John Tribble had been convinced Caleb might have been sleeping and he might have been able to pray him alive, Ms Nairn said.

"They were asking for Jesus' healing and for God to heal Caleb," she said.

Catherine Tribble had told Ms Nairn she thought a public health nurse had been interfering.

Ms Nairn said she had heard about the couple's attitude toward doctors many times in conversations.

"They (David and Catherine) believed that God will heal and provide for them," she said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)