The woman at the center of a long-running case that came to symbolize the debate over a parent’s right to refuse established medical advice for a child was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in jail.
The sentencing brings to a close the high-profile 2019 case against Christina Gale Dixon, 39, for treating her daughter’s liver cancer with CBD oil.
A Clackamas County jury last fall found Dixon guilty of first-degree custodial interference and two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, all felonies. Dixon represented herself at trial, calling her own daughter, now 17, to the stand.
The case early on served as a flashpoint for those who sought to protect a parent’s rights to override conventional medical advice, with some accusing the state of “medically kidnapping” the girl to ensure her condition was treated. At one point, the Oregon Department of Human Services said its employees had received threats related to their involvement with the case after the girl underwent successful surgery.
On Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Brian Powell urged Circuit Judge Michael Wetzel to impose a 19-month prison sentence, saying Dixon failed “at every turn, at every stage” to protect her daughter’s health.
“She took her daughter off chemotherapy, refused to re-engage in any sort of oncological care in favor of CBD oil, vitamins and other homeopathic remedies, putting her daughter at risk of death,” Powell said.
Kylee Dixon was first diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and underwent three rounds of chemotherapy.
The Oregon Department of Human Services got involved in late 2018 when it became clear Dixon was not allowing her daughter to undergo treatment outlined by physicians.
The state later assumed custody of the girl but allowed her to remain living with her mother, who continued to ignore medical advice, according to prosecutors.
Dixon fled with her daughter hours before surgery was scheduled in June 2019. Days later, law enforcement authorities located the girl in Las Vegas; she was returned to Oregon and placed in foster care.
Dixon remained at large until she turned herself into authorities in August 2019. She was booked into the Clackamas County Jail and released the same day. She lived in Wilsonville at the time she was charged.
Her daughter underwent successful surgery in early 2020, prosecutors said.
Dixon hired an attorney, Greg Oliveros, to represent her during sentencing.
Oliveros sought a sentence of probation, arguing that while Dixon made multiple legal missteps, including firing lawyers and representing herself at trial, she loves her child. Dixon wept as Oliveros spoke.
“And while maybe she made some mistakes in terms of getting her treatment and proper care, I think one could argue her love for her child clouded her common sense or judgment,” he said.
Dixon took a minute to compose herself before addressing the court, using her time to dispute trial testimony about her daughter’s condition and blaming doctors for trying to harm her child. She took no responsibility for failing to provide adequate care.
Kylee Dixon did not attend the hearing; she has appeared on her mother’s Facebook page, supporting her.
The judge called the case “very tragic,” adding that it was clear that Kylee would not have supported a prison sentence for her mother. Wetzel sentenced Dixon to 90 days in the Clackamas County Jail followed by three years on probation.
He said he considered the family’s suffering as a result of the girl’s childhood cancer diagnosis and Dixon’s clean criminal record in reaching his decision.
Kylee’s father, Jim Dixon, 43, of Mulino, sat in the courtroom gallery, holding his head in his hands as the judge handed down the sentence.
At the close of the hearing, two Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies stepped forward to take Dixon into custody, placing her wrists in cuffs as her family members said goodbye.
After the hearing, Jim Dixon said he supported a prison sentence for the damage done by his ex-wife. He said he has not seen his daughter since 2020 and suspects she has not seen a physician since her surgery.
“She needs a lot of love and help right now,” he said.
