The two parents of a newborn baby were arrested on a charge of manslaughter, after allowing their premature child to die instead of seeking medical help, police in Oregon said.

 Now, the Oregon State Supreme Court ruled that the couple must serve their 6 year prison sentence after being convicted of manslaughter for allowing their son to die.

According to the police investigation, Dale and Shannon Hickman, both 30, chose to say prayers and rub olive oil on their son David, shortly after he was born two months prematurely at home.

The child, who weighed under 4 pounds, died of pneumonia nine hours after being born. The court was told that the child would have been alive today if the parents sought medical help.

The parents are members of the Followers of Christ Church. The church is known to prefer faith based healing over medical treatment.