A mother was sentenced to three years in prison after her daughter died following an exorcism ritual. The birth giver turned into a life taker after she gave in to her superstitious beliefs. The harrowing incident was reported in southern China's Shenzhen.
According to a recent report by Shenzhen Municipal People’s Procuratorate, the convicted mother identified as Li was awarded three-year imprisonment sentence for negligent homicide. The incident came to light when the daughter was found dead the next morning after the ritual intended to rid her of demons claimed the daughter's life, South China Morning Post reported.
Li had two daughters who shared the same beliefs as their mother. Obsessed with superstitious practices such as telepathy and medication, the mother-daughter trio believed that they were constantly being attacked and possessed by demons and that their “souls were sold”.
Last month, Li’s younger daughter Xie insisted that she was possessed by a demon. She asked her mother and elder sister to perform exorcism ritual on her to force the evil spirit to leave. During the exorcism ritual, the mother reportedly pressed too hard on Xie'a chest to induce vomiting. With her elder daughter, the superstitionist even poured water down Xie's throat.
However, this act proved to be fatal as in the morning of the following day blood began pouring out of Xie's mouth. This was when the family members realised that Xie's health wasn't stable and they alerted the police. The paramedics rushed to the site but found that the girl had died. Xie was pronounced dead at the scene. The Shenzhen court in Guangdong province ruled negligent homicide and gave the same sentence to the elder daughter as her mother.
What is exorcism?
Exorcism is an adjuration addressed to evil spirits to force them to abandon an object, place or person, according to Britannica.
This traditional practice dates back to ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Babylonians. The people in the past used incantations and invocations to expel evil spirits and demons. This practise isn't confined to historical periods but is also found across various cultures. In Christianity, exorcism rituals are primarily carried out by Catholic priests and Protestant clergy.
EBSCO report suggests that a noted resurgence in this practise was observed in the United States in the 1970s, following the release of the novel and film “The Exorcist.” Hence, cultural phenomena influence superstitious practices.
