A pastor has been arrested by law enforcement after reportedly smoking meth with him members and carrying out an exorcism on a baby.
49-year-old Lloyd Lasker Jr, who runs the House of Refuge and Deliverance Ministries in the state of Arkansas in America, was detained by officials at a petrol station on September 22, reportedly in possession of a pipe and methamphetamine.
Law enforcement say they were called to Lloyd Lasker Jr’s church to do a welfare check and found an injured and really skinny 21-month-old child with his mother.
The mother informed the police that her baby was “possessed by a demon” and he was admitted to hospital with a brain bleed and malnourishment.
When police arrested 49-year-old Lasker Jr in Mayflower, Arkansas, he reportedly admitted attempting to cast out a demon but would not give law enforcement further details.
Police revealed the 49-year-old informed them he did not know the meth or pipe were in his truck but supposedly admitted taking the substance with parishioners and the boy’s mother.
When his residence was searched police found a shotgun, which he was banned from possessing because he is a convicted felon.
Lasker Jr was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of possession of a gun by a convicted felon and drug paraphernalia.
He is due back in court on October 13 after he was released from custody with a $7,500 (£5,800) bond.
In related news, a pastor and two women have been arrested in connection with the deaths of two nine-year-old girls who were allegedly beaten during an “exorcism”.
The children’s death took place in Ezinambeni, outside Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said police received an anonymous call informing them that “something sinister” was unfolding at a home in the local area.
Colonel Mbele added: “Upon arrival, the police were greeted with hostility by the family members who did not want their presence and asked who had called them.
“After a barrage of questions from the family members, police encountered a very gruesome scene.”
They found the two girls on the floor, their bodies riddled with bruises. One had already died and the other was unconscious.
After discovering the girls police called paramedics immediately.
One girl was declared dead at the scene and the other was taken to hospital.
Mbele said relatives claimed the girls had been attacked by an evil spirit.
“The family further alleged that the young girls had been complaining that the evil spirit was beating them up and instructing them to drink blood,” he said.
“In response to the girls’ attack by the evil spirits, the family also allegedly beat up the girls as a form of exorcism.”
Mbele said a local pastor, who was called to pray for the girls, allegedly also beat them.
“Prior to the arrival of the police the family had taken the deceased girl to a traditional healer after beating her,” he said.
“The traditional healer could not do anything for her because she was already deceased and he brought back the body to the family.”
Mbele said the second child, who was taken to hospital, died a few days later.
Initially an inquest was opened but further investigations revealed the girls died from severe beatings.
The trio are expected to appear in court on Monday.
