A CHRISTIAN couple who allegedly let their baby girl starve to death for religious reasons reacted in horror as they were charged with her murder.

Seth Welch and Tatiana Fusari, both 27, gawped and wept in court as they were accused of allowing 10-month-old Mary Anne to die from malnutrition.

9 Tatiana Fusari cried when the charges were read out, while Seth Welch stared with an open mouth Credit: WZZM

Fusari burst into tears when the couple, from Michigan, were formally charged, while Welch stared straight ahead open-mouthed.

Welch has previously posted videos and comments about not trusting doctors on Facebook, citing his religious beliefs as more than enough.

In one post, he described doctors as "priesthoods of the medical cult."

In another, he ranted: "The righteous shall live by faith. It's God who is sovereign over disease and those sorts of things and, of course, ultimately deaths."

9 Fusari burst into tears as the charges were read

Kent County Sheriff detectives claimed Welch and Fusari admitted in police interviews they had noticed the tot's "skinny appearance and low weight" a month before her death.

In an affidavit, police said: "Tatiana Fusari admitted during the interview that they failed to reach out for medical help with their daughter for fear of having her children removed by Child Protective Services, lack of faith and trust in the medical services and religious reasons".

9 The dad continued to shake his head in disbelief as the charges were read out Credit: WZZM

First responders found the baby girl with sunken eyes and cheeks after being called to the home on Thursday last week after Welch called 911.

He told emergency services that they had found the child dead in her crib.

A post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as malnutrition and dehydration due to neglect by adult caregivers.

The pair were immediately called in for questioning where they admitted noticing their child was skinny and underweight as far back as a month before she died.

9 Seth Welch, 27, had been charged with felony murder and first degree child abuse Credit: Kent County Sheriff's Office

9 Cops say Tatiana Fusari failed to reach out for medical help because she feared having her children removed Credit: Kent County Sheriff's Office

According to court documentation, they claimed they did not seek medical help "for fear of having Child Protective Services called, lack of faith and trust in medical services and religious reasons".

Evidence of their religious beliefs were littered outside their home, which had dozens of hand-painted biblical signs onto trees and a fence.

One message read: "Repent. Believe. Obey."

9 Mary Anne was just ten-months-old when she died from malnutrition and dehydration Credit: Facebook

The couple, who also had two other children, aged two and four, had been raising their family in Solon Township, Kent County before their arrest.

On the day of Mary's death, Welch took to Facebook to post: "Heart is about shattered right now.

"Woke up to Mary dead in her bed this morning - this evening had our children removed and placed on 'no contact' because Tati and I are the worst parents ever - Thankfully they are with grandma and grandpa.

"Just numb inside right now. And I'm really enjoying the loving embrace of an isolation cell from the cops and government employees who keep assuring me 'they are only here to help'."

9 The little baby was found dead on Thursday last week Credit: Facebook

9 Protective services have filed a neglect case against Fusari and Welch Credit: Facebook

It is not the first time that the family have been visited by the authorities.

Welch claimed that officials had contacted him after complaints were filed when he refused to get his oldest child vaccinated.

Official documents confirmed that all three of the children had never been vaccinated.

In a video post, he said: "It didn't seem smart that you would be saving people who weren't the fittest.

"If evolution believes in survival of the fittest, why are we vaccinating everybody? Shouldn't we just let the weak die off and let the strong survive?"

9 Welch has previously ranted about his lack of trust in doctors Credit: Facebook

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Child Protective Services have now filed a neglect case against the parents involving their two eldest children - and it is believed that Fusari is pregnant with her fourth child.

The pair are being held without bond and could face life in prison without parole, if convicted of felony murder.

They will next appear in court on August 20.