I saw this NY Times article about a vegan baby who died of starvation, and I thought it offered incontravertible evidence about the human need for animal proteins.

No, it doesn't it only shows that you can't live on apple juice and soy milk. Most people already know this. Have you ever heard of human breast milk? That is what he should been fed. Don't lump us all together because we are not all like those morons. 6 weeks olds aren't supposed to drink anything besides their Mom's breast milk, or infant formula if the Mom can't give milk for some reason. I know plenty of healthy, happy vegan children.
BTW apple juice and soy milk isn't a vegan diet. It's just parts of one.