Mableton Cardiologist May Have Influenced Mother to Starve Teen

Family members of a Mableton teen who was starved to death over the weekend believe a Mableton cardiologist’s “hunger” teachings may have influenced the teen’s mother.

Markea Blakely-Berry, 16, was . Cobb police have arrested and charged her mother, Ebony Berry, with murder.

It was later revealed that .

Berry’s family noticed that she had a Facebook connection with Dr. Andrew Chung, a cardiologist living in Mableton who encourages hunger and eating only 32 ounces of food a day, according to Grand Rapids’ WOOD-TV 8. Berry and her daughter once lived in Grand Rapids.

Chung, a familiar face to many in South Cobb, often is found at festivals in Mableton and South Cobb sharing his teachings.

He published and authored a book, Be Hungry, in 2007.

He told the NBC-affiliate that he knew Berry, but never encouraged her to starve her child.

He said was “shocked” and “surprised” and did not know that Berry even had a daughter.

Berry’s family members also blame the Michigan Child Protection Services for not acting on their concerns about Markea.

From 1999-2004, there were six different complaints about Berry to CPS, according to WOOD-TV. However, only once was a complaint investigated by the agency.

Chung, whose listed office is closed and appears to practice from his home, said he does not have feelings at all about Markea’s death because he did not know her.

He also said that there could be reasons that Markea was starved.

"When a parent chooses to neglect a child ... you have to think about what the reasons were," he said. "It's expensive to care for that child."
 
"A parent could reasonably decide that to care for that child would require harming the other two children," he added.

Patch will continue to update you on this story, so check back for more details.

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