The choice an adult individual of sound mind makes for themself is a different matter than the choice these parents made for their minor child.

I reported what is a typical state response to this kind of behavior by the parents. All things being equal, it was irresponsible behavior that resulted in the death of the child. The mitigating circumstances would be if she was tortured or not, etc., so the penalty for the outwardly cruel "malice aforethought" parents with the 25-pound 12 year old boy would be bound to be harsher. Regardless of that, the parents should still not be allowed to continue to raise the rest of their children until the criminal case is completely resolved and they're found to either be unfit and permanently separated from the kids or found to be fit and the kids returned.

SRS