Mom who treated daughter’s cancer with CBD oil instead of chemo, surgery gets 90 days in jail

An Oregon mom who treated her daughter’s cancer with CBD oil instead of chemotherapy and surgery gets 90 days in jail. (Source: KPTV)
Published: Feb. 29, 2024 at 8:32 AM EST

OREGON CITY, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - An Oregon mother received a jail sentence on Monday after authorities said she tried to prevent her child from getting traditional cancer treatment.

At the start of the proceeding, Christina Dixon stood in court calm and composed but as it went on, she became emotional. Deputy District Attorney Brian Powell asked the judge for 19 months in jail but instead, she was sentenced to 90 days in jail and supervised probation.

“The reason that Kylee is alive today is because she got the chemotherapy, because she got surgery, because of tumors removed,” Powell said.

Christina Dixon, 39, was sentenced to three months in jail and supervised probation for custodial interference and criminal mistreatment of her now 17-year-old daughter, Kylee Dixon.

“I am going to find that probationary sentence would be appropriate in the circumstance,” Circuit Judge Michael Wetzel said.

One of Wetzel’s reasons for not sentencing Christina Dixon longer is because of Kylee Dixon’s continued support for her mom, Oregon Live reported.

In 2019, the then-13-year-old was being treated for liver cancer. Later that year, Christina Dixon was indicted for failing to take Kylee Dixon in for a scheduled surgery.

“After the third round of chemotherapy, she said ‘no,’” Powell said. “She said ‘no,’ despite 23 physicians at Saint Jude agreeing on diagnosis, she said ‘no.’”

Doctors said they wanted to continue chemotherapy. Instead, Christina Dixon took Kylee Dixon to Las Vegas to avoid a court order and claimed the teen did better using CBD oil.

Kylee Dixon was taken into protective custody, and Christina Dixon went to jail.

Nearly five years later in court, Christina Dixon was emotional as she awaited sentencing.

“I never wanted to stop her treatment,” she said. “It was just with this particular doctor. I would’ve never put Kylee in harm’s way. I did everything to fight for her life, and I put my own life on the line for her.”

Kylee Dixon’s father was also in the courtroom. He said he doesn’t believe justice was served.

“I’m glad there’s closure, finally,” said Jim Dixon. “I was a little sad to see how easy she got off on all this considering all the damage she’s done.”

A judge later ordered that Kylee Dixon would have surgery to treat her cancer.

“The truth is that Kylee had a tumor that CBD wasn’t doing a thing to help. The only thing that was helping was the treatment that she was getting, and she had the surgery. And she’s cancer free now because of it,” Jim Dixon said. “We love you, Kylee. We wish you the best.”

Kylee Dixon will be 18 years old later this year. Her father said she is doing well. When we asked about her whereabouts, he said he doesn’t know.

He said he has not seen his daughter since 2020, Oregon Live reported.

Kylee Dixon did not attend the hearing, but she has expressed support for her mother on her mother’s Facebook page.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that cannabinoids like CBD oil can help relieve some of the side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

“However, studies have not shown that marijuana or individual cannabinoids can cure cancer,” the CDC said. “Avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer or relying on marijuana alone to treat or manage the effects of cancer may have serious health consequences.”