Girl Dies in Religious Ritual, Family Sues Church
This church’s “cleansing ritual” includes laxatives laced with Cayenne.
The mother of a 16-year-old claims her daughter was poisoned during a religious ritual. The church denies the fasting ritual caused the girl’s death. Her parents claim she was forced by the church to take bee pollen and died of an asthma attack four hours later.
The church claims she was never given bee pollen, only a master cleanse mix meant to help her religious fast. The Church of Divine Appointment on Lake Mead Blvd. and Revere St. is accused of negligence in the death of the teenager during a religious ritual.
In a YouTube video, the pastor of the church, Dr. Glories Powell speaks about fasting, “The only way you can really fast is to stop eating. Cover your mouth. Stop the flow. Shut the gates, close the door. And push the flesh. You cannot fast by doing nothing other than abstaining from food.”
The lawsuit claims teenager Brianna Benbo died July 6, 2010 after church leaders “instructed, induced and insisted” she take bee pollen to begin a religious fast.