Master herbalist case: Jury deadlocks on whether Morrow responsible for diabetic boy's death

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A jury has deadlocked over whether a Torrance "master herbalist" was responsible for a boy's death after convincing his parents to stop treating his diabetes with insulin.

Timothy Morrow was already found guilty of a separate count of practicing medicine without a license. But the Los Angeles Superior Court jury has split over a misdemeanor count of child abuse likely to produce death.

On Friday, the 12-member jury announced after four votes it remained split, with three favoring not guilty and nine in favor of guilty.

The judge is deciding how to proceed next.

Edgar Lopez, of Harbor Gateway, died in 2014 after his mother stopped the insulin he needed for Type 1 diabetes.

Edgar's mom said self-proclaimed "master herbalist" Morrow convinced her to give the boy herbs instead of insulin.

In closing arguments Tuesday, Los Angeles Deputy City Att0orney Heidi Matz told jurors that Morrow gave "hope'' to the teen's family by assuring the boy's mother that he was going through a "healing crisis'' and convincing them to use herbal products instead of insulin to treat his Type 1 diabetes before the teen's August 2014 death. She cited what she called "criminal negligence'' and "callous disregard'' by Morrow.

Morrow's attorney, Sanford Perliss, countered that the teen's mother didn't even know Morrow when she informed a doctor that she wanted to give her son herbal remedies.