An alternative practitioner has been found guily of gross negligence manslaughter after the death of a woman with type 1 diabetes during one of his workshops.
Hongchi Xiao, 61 of California, was found guilty following the death of Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, who suffered complications related to type 1 diabetes in 2016.
The jury at Winchester Crown Court heard how Mrs Carr-Gomm stopped taking insulin while attending a retreat where Xiao promoted “slapping therapy” as a remedy for type 1 diabetes.
The jury found Xiao guilty by a majority verdict of 11 to 1 after almost 20 hours of deliberation.
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Fear of insulin caused victim to seek alternatives
Mrs Carr-Gomm from Lewes had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and required daily insulin injections to manage her blood glucose levels.
Carr-Gomm’s fear of needles led her to explore alternative treatments.
Carr-Gomm first attended a Paida Lajin workshop, which translates to “slapping and stretching”, led by Xiao in Bulgaria in July 2016.
Mrs Carr-Gomm had previously praised the therapy’s effectiveness.
In October of 2016, Mrs Carr-Gomm attended another one of Xiao’s workshops at Cleeve House in Seend, Wiltshire.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson explained that on the first day, Mrs Carr-Gomm stated she had stopped taking insulin, which was applauded by Xiao.
She then began fasting with other attendees but quickly became severely ill, feeling “tired,” “weak,” and “howling in pain” by the third day.
By the fourth day, Carr-Gomm had deceased from diabetic ketoacidosis.
The case against Xiao focused on whether he had a duty of care towards Mrs Carr-Gomm and if her death was foreseeable.
Xiao, who led the workshop but claimed not to be its organiser, denied providing medical care and stressed he was not a doctor.
Previous incidents
The prosecution highlighted Xiao’s past experiences with people with diabetes at his workshops.
Mrs Carr-Gomm had previously stopped her medication at the Bulgaria workshop but was encouraged by Xiao to resume it after falling ill.
Seperately, a six-year-old boy died at a Sydney workshop in 2015 after his parents ceased his insulin, resulting in Xiao’s imprisonment in Australia.
Prosecutors argued that Xiao should have been aware of the risks associated with stopping insulin, given these incidents.
Despite this, Xiao did not intervene when Mrs Carr-Gomm’s condition deteriorated in Wiltshire.
Fatal consequences
Mrs Carr-Gomm’s son described her as a “very healthy woman” aside from her type 1 diabetes and believed she would not have attended the workshop if she had known the risks.
He emphasized that she attended the workshop with the intention of extending her life.
Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, asserted that Xiao knew the potentially fatal consequences of stopping insulin but failed to respond, leading to Mrs Carr-Gomm’s death through gross negligence.
Det Chief Insp Walker added that Xiao’s not guilty plea demonstrated little remorse, exacerbating the distress for Mrs Carr-Gomm’s family.
Xiao has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 1 October.
