Parents left son accused of witchcraft to die - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

snowcreature23 · 04-14-2008, 11:02 PM

Parents left son accused of witchcraft to die

Last Updated: Monday, 14 April 2008, 9:56 GMT Previous Page

The Takoradi Police have arrested a couple for negligently causing the death of their nine-year-old son.

The couple, Kwaku Badu, 35, a fisherman, and Elizabeth Coomson, also 35, were said to have kept their son indoors on the orders of a spiritualist who said the boy was possessed by witchcraft.

The police arrested the couple while they were preparing to bury their son.

The spiritualist, Madam Theresa Arthur, popularly known as Maame Osofo of the 12 Apostles Church at Inchaban, was alleged to have declared that the boy was possessed by witchcraft and ordered that he should be kept in a room until he died.

The couple, accordingly, complied with the order, leading to the death of the boy at 3.00 p.m. last Wednesday.

The Unit Commander of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cecilia Arko, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic.

She said someone called to inform the police that Badu and his wife had kept their sick son in a room to die, on the orders of a spiritualist.

She said a police rescue team was dispatched to the residence of the couple but, unfortunately, when the team got there, the boy had died and the body was being prepared by the couple for burial.

ASP Arko said the body was then taken to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital for autopsy, while the two were detained to assist in investigations.

Madam Coomson told the Daily Graphic that for some time the boy always complained of excessive heat and ate abnormally, resulting in his body getting swollen.

She said she and the husband decided to send the boy to the 12 Apostles Church where they were told by the spiritualist that their son was possessed by witchcraft, adding that the boy allegedly confessed to being possessed through toys and 5Gp worth of groundnuts which were given to him by a friend at school.

According to her, the couple bought the toys and the groundnuts, as directed by Maame Osofo, to perform some rituals in the school.

She said Maame Osofo asked the boy to stay with her for a while until the witchcraft had completely been exorcised, but after staying at the prayer camp for about one month, she asked them to go for their son and keep him at home because he was going to die.

She said they did not take the boy to the hospital because he had confessed to being a wizard and that he wanted to die because he did not have anyone to present to his cult members for a party.

Madam Coomson said they, therefore, kept him in the room until he died last Wednesday.

Hollow · 04-15-2008, 12:05 AM

what a bunch of freaks. this is 2008, not 1608.

InspectorExstead · 04-15-2008, 02:24 AM

i can never understand how parents can just abandon their child to die...
that is so sad.

Lee · 04-15-2008, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InspectorExstead

i can never understand how parents can just abandon their child to die... that is so sad.

What is your opinion of Madam Theresa Arthur?

Courtnee · 04-15-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safety pin

what a bunch of freaks. this is 2008, not 1608.

I was just thinking that (without the laughter. More like,

). What is this? SALEM?

Furienna · 04-27-2008, 07:59 PM

Weird story...

ABlairican Pie · 04-27-2008, 08:20 PM

I just Googled Inchaban. It appears that it's located in Ghana, in Africa. So this incident isn't really so surprising, there are a lot of locals there who adhere to rather superstitious beliefs, even as members of a Christian church.
Seems that a person who identifies oneself as a spiritualist has quite a bit of power and influence over the parents' lives. Still, it sounds VERY medieval, especially in this day and age, no matter where anyone lives.

I'm still thinking of all these horror stories of parents, who, due to their religious beliefs, will deny their children medical treatment and allow them to die. Or banish their children from their families due to child being gay or for having brought some sort of shame due to sexual activity the parents did not approve of.

I am Roboto · 04-28-2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

I'm still thinking of all these horror stories of parents, who, due to their religious beliefs, will deny their children medical treatment and allow them to die. Or banish their children from their families due to child being gay or for having brought some sort of shame due to sexual activity the parents did not approve of.

QFT. That story about the girl recently with diabetes whose parents refused to seek medical treatment was absolutely aweful and tragic.

Furienna · 04-28-2008, 04:23 PM

And that one even was in the US, right?

04-14-2008, 11:02 PM	#1
snowcreature23 Jason is waiting. Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 16, 2007 Location: Kenai,Alaska. Posts: 758	Parents left son accused of witchcraft to die Parents left son accused of witchcraft to die Last Updated: Monday, 14 April 2008, 9:56 GMT Previous Page The Takoradi Police have arrested a couple for negligently causing the death of their nine-year-old son. The couple, Kwaku Badu, 35, a fisherman, and Elizabeth Coomson, also 35, were said to have kept their son indoors on the orders of a spiritualist who said the boy was possessed by witchcraft. The police arrested the couple while they were preparing to bury their son. The spiritualist, Madam Theresa Arthur, popularly known as Maame Osofo of the 12 Apostles Church at Inchaban, was alleged to have declared that the boy was possessed by witchcraft and ordered that he should be kept in a room until he died. The couple, accordingly, complied with the order, leading to the death of the boy at 3.00 p.m. last Wednesday. The Unit Commander of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cecilia Arko, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic. She said someone called to inform the police that Badu and his wife had kept their sick son in a room to die, on the orders of a spiritualist. She said a police rescue team was dispatched to the residence of the couple but, unfortunately, when the team got there, the boy had died and the body was being prepared by the couple for burial. ASP Arko said the body was then taken to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital for autopsy, while the two were detained to assist in investigations. Madam Coomson told the Daily Graphic that for some time the boy always complained of excessive heat and ate abnormally, resulting in his body getting swollen. She said she and the husband decided to send the boy to the 12 Apostles Church where they were told by the spiritualist that their son was possessed by witchcraft, adding that the boy allegedly confessed to being possessed through toys and 5Gp worth of groundnuts which were given to him by a friend at school. According to her, the couple bought the toys and the groundnuts, as directed by Maame Osofo, to perform some rituals in the school. She said Maame Osofo asked the boy to stay with her for a while until the witchcraft had completely been exorcised, but after staying at the prayer camp for about one month, she asked them to go for their son and keep him at home because he was going to die. She said they did not take the boy to the hospital because he had confessed to being a wizard and that he wanted to die because he did not have anyone to present to his cult members for a party. Madam Coomson said they, therefore, kept him in the room until he died last Wednesday.
	__________________ JUST BELEIVE

04-15-2008, 02:24 AM	#3
InspectorExstead Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 29, 2001 Location: The Golden State Posts: 12,902	i can never understand how parents can just abandon their child to die... that is so sad.
	__________________ They killed my sister because she asked: "Where is my vote?" http://sosiran.com/ http://tapeshhd.com/index.php

04-27-2008, 08:20 PM	#7
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	I just Googled Inchaban. It appears that it's located in Ghana, in Africa. So this incident isn't really so surprising, there are a lot of locals there who adhere to rather superstitious beliefs, even as members of a Christian church. Seems that a person who identifies oneself as a spiritualist has quite a bit of power and influence over the parents' lives. Still, it sounds VERY medieval, especially in this day and age, no matter where anyone lives. I'm still thinking of all these horror stories of parents, who, due to their religious beliefs, will deny their children medical treatment and allow them to die. Or banish their children from their families due to child being gay or for having brought some sort of shame due to sexual activity the parents did not approve of.
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

04-15-2008, 12:05 AM	#2
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	what a bunch of freaks. this is 2008, not 1608.

04-27-2008, 07:59 PM	#6
Furienna Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 22, 2006 Location: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Posts: 6,280	Weird story...

04-28-2008, 04:23 PM	#9
Furienna Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 22, 2006 Location: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Posts: 6,280	And that one even was in the US, right?