Pastor appears in court after man drowns during baptism ceremony

A Christian pastor has appeared in court charged with gross negligence manslaughter after a man drowned during a baptism ceremony.

Robert Smith, 61, from Brixton, South London, died at an address in Erdington, Birmingham, on October 8, 2023.

A court heard Mr Smith, who had Parkinson’s disease, was submerged in the water for around four minutes.

Life Changing Ministries pastor Cheryl Bartley is accused of one count of unlawfully killing Mr Smith by gross negligence.

Bartley, 48, entered no plea during her first appearance at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court this morning, and spoke only to confirm her name, age, and address.

The 20-minute hearing heard how the Bartley allegedly ‘encouraged’ Mr Smith to enter the water before his death.

Prosecutor Amreena Begum said: ‘Mr Smith was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and he clearly had physical disabilities which we see in terms of his difficulties to walk, his tremors, his stiffness.

‘At the time of the baptism, the crown says the defendant encouraged Mr Smith to enter the water and remain in the water, submerged in the water.

‘He remained submerged for some four minutes. He very sadly died. That’s the seriousness of the offence that this defendant is charged with.’

District Judge David Wain told Bartley she would be allowed on bail, but is not allowed to perform baptisms or leave the country.

Bartley, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, will next appear at Birmingham Crown Court on June 11.

The tragic baptism was streamed live on the church’s Facebook page, but the stream was cut short and the video removed.

Mr Smith had seven grandchildren who had moved to the UK from Jamaica at least 25 years ago. He settled in Brixton, where he worked as a barber.

His family said he had already been baptised when he was a teenager, but wanted a second ceremony to become a ‘born-again believer’.

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