Calgary parents charged in baby's death make 1st court appearance

The parents of a 14-month-old Calgary child made their first court appearance Mondayafter being charged with criminal negligence in his death one year ago.

Jennifer Clark, 38, andJeromieClark, 34, of north Calgary were arrested on Dec. 12, 2014. Both have been charged with criminal negligencecausing death and failure to provide the necessaries of life.

A 14-month-old boy was brought to a Calgary hospital by his parents on Nov. 28, 2013.The babywas treated but died the following day.

Staff Sgt. Doug Andrus said in a news conference on Saturday that the investigation was long and complex.

According to police, an autopsy later determined the cause of death to be a staph infection complicated by malnutrition.

Jennifer and JeromieClark will back in court on Tuesday. According to their lawyers, the couple is seeking bail. They have two other children.

Police say the family followed a strict dietary regimen based on an extreme interpretation of their faith. They are SeventhDay Adventists.

Church confirms Clarks are members

In a statement, the Calgary CentralAdventist Church said it was saddened to learn of the tragic death of the baby and confirmed thattheClarksare members of the denomination.

However, Pastor Randy Barber said the Clarkshad not been active in the church for eight years and he was unaware of the situation in the household.

The statement said the church has a mission to "notonly promote healthful living but also make every effort toshare beneficial health principles with members and the community at large.Many churches offer classes on smoking cessation and how to prepare healthful, balancedand delicious meals."