'Fruitarian' parents of dead baby escape jail

The parents of a baby girl who died of severe malnutrition after being fed a raw fruit and vegetable diet were allowed to go free yesterday when a judge said they had already been punished by the loss of their child in what was a "wholly exceptional and tragic case".

Garebet Manuelyan, aged 45, and his wife, Hasmik, 44, were initially accused of killing nine-month-old Areni after she died in July last year of a chest infection that was brought on by malnutrition.

But lawyers for the prosecution accepted their plea of guilty to the less serious charge of child cruelty on the basis that they were loving but misguided in their actions. The manslaughter charge was left on file yesterday by Judge David Paget at the Old Bailey. He placed the estranged couple under a community rehabilitation order for three years.

From November 1996 the authorities were aware of the family, who were seen by doctors, social workers and health visitors. The Manuelyans were repeatedly warned that the diet was harmful to their children's physical development and were told the two eldest showed symptoms of vitamin deficiencies. The couple will be given support if their son and daughter, who have been taken into care, are returned.

"This is a most unusual and tragic case," he told the Manuelyans. "It is perhaps unique. There is not the slightest doubt that you both loved Areni and your neglect of her came about because of your extreme and misguided beliefs on raw vegan or fruitarian diet."

During most of Areni's lifetime, she was breastfed by Mrs Manuelyan, who is a university graduate. She and her husband, a bus driver, from Staines, west London, have separated since Areni's death. The parents were convinced that their unorthodox diet was best for their family, the court was told. But at the time of Areni's death she weighed only 60 per cent of the average body weight for a baby of her age.

On hearing that she was suffering from a vitamin deficiency, the Manuelyans took the family to Spain to get extra vitamin D from the sun. When they returned, her father refused to take Areni to hospital, fearing the chemicals she would be treated with.

Julian Evans, defending her father, said: "This tragic family are all victims of the confusing ongoing debate about what is and what is not healthy to eat. There exists a confusing state of affairs as to what is healthy what is not in regard to our food and water.

"My client accepts he made a terrible mistake. He accepts full responsibility for his actions. He is now under a crushing burden suffocated by his own sense of failure and guilt."

Mr Evans said the parents believed they were doing the best for their daughter. They tried to protect her from harmful chemicals, additives and toxins that they believed polluted much of the produce found in supermarkets.

Judge Paget accepted that photographs of the baby taken in Spain showed her apparently happy and well, but said her death could have been avoided if the couple had accepted their "unorthodox and ill-informed" views were wrong.

They would have to spend the rest of their lives with their "real punishment", the knowledge that their stubbornness had cost the life of their baby.

Anthony Potts, for the prosecution, said the couple had a genuine belief that a diet of raw organic fruit, vegetables, juices and nuts was the healthiest option for their family.

Mr Potts said the Crown accepted that the neglect was not through any malice but through "misguided love and misguided belief that they were doing their best for their little girl".