A Ferndale, Michigan, mother who reportedly refused to get her son vaccinated will spend seven days behind bars.
Judge Karen McDonald handed down the sentence to Rebbecca Bredow for ignoring a court order to vaccinate her 9-year-old son. A judge previously required the mother to have her son vaccinated by Wednesday, according to The Detroit News.
“If my child is going to be forced to be vaccinated, I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” Bredow said in court Wednesday.
“It goes against my beliefs.”
In addition to the brief jail sentence, Judge McDonald granted the father temporary custody while Bredow is incarcerated or until the child is up to date on his vaccinations.
“It’s clear to me you don’t care about [court] orders, even if you agree to them,” Judge Karen McDonald told Bredow on Wednesday. “You’ve repeatedly stated over the past several days publicly that you will not follow this court order, so I’m sentencing you to seven days in jail.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the child’s father and Bredow’s ex-husband, James Horne, petitioned an Oakland County court to get their son immunized. Bredow admitted that the pair had an agreement to space out their children’s vaccines but became concerned when the shots were administered closer together.
ORIGINAL Story: Judge to mom: ‘Get your son vaccinated or go to jail!’
Horne went to court last year when Bredow applied for a vaccine waiver. The mother learned that Michigan allows vaccine exemptions on religious, medical, and personal grounds.
On Wednesday, Bredow reportedly said that she and Horne had shared similar beliefs on vaccines and claimed he changed his mind to gain leverage in a drawn-out custody battle.
Judge McDonald noted that Bredow originally agreed to the vaccinations and said she has made several important decisions regarding the children without Horne’s input.
“I understand you love your children, but what I don’t think you understand is your son has two parents, and dad gets a say,” the judge reportedly told her.
[Feature photo: Oakland County Jail]
