Collet
Feature Documentary
Project Type: Feature Documentary
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Status: Postproduction
A family’s life is thrown into turmoil when a mother and father are found responsible for the tragic death of their infant son. An epic legal battle forces the parents into the public spotlight where they must defend themselves against biased media coverage and a flawed court system stacked against them, despite their best intentions and love for their children.
In 2012, David and Collet Stephan’s 18-month-old son, Ezekiel, died after they treated his illness with homeopathic remedies instead of conventional medicine. Diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, Ezekiel stopped breathing and later died in the hospital. The Stephans were charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life, sparking a high-profile trial that polarized public opinion on alternative versus conventional medicine.
After a 2016 conviction and years of appeals, they were acquitted in 2019 when a judge ruled Ezekiel died from lack of oxygen (likely due to mistakes in professional medical care), not meningitis. Supporters celebrated, but the story didn’t end. Filmmaker Mathew Embry captures the family’s ongoing fight to protect the life they’ve rebuilt while navigating media scrutiny and the fallout of false public narratives about the parents’ role in the tragedy.
