Pastor Charged After 61-Year-Old Man Dies During Home Baptism in England

A pastor in Birmingham, England, has been charged in the drowning of a man during a home baptism in a children’s pool.

Forty-eight-year-old Cheryl Bartley is facing one count of gross negligence manslaughter in the case involving 61-year-old Robert Smith, who died on October 8, 2023, the Associated Press (AP) reported Wednesday.

“The Life Changing Ministries ceremony was being held in a kiddie pool and livestreamed on Facebook,” the outlet said, and the New York Post reported the stream cut out as Smith was being baptized.

The outlet noted the man had Parkinson’s disease, which is a movement disorder that affects a person’s nervous system, per the Mayo Clinic.

When the incident happened, “Emergency services were called — but the grandfather of seven was already dead. A post-mortem revealed he died from drowning, West Midlands Police said when announcing charges Wednesday,” the Post article read.

The pastor reportedly claimed in a video following the incident that she saw the man in heaven “dancing with Jesus.”

Another clip appears to show Bartley at a beach with other people. She talks about a ministry that “God has birthed himself,” and claims she works with angels.

“I work with angels, numerous angels, as you can see, you come, I wasn’t touching people or anything. It’s angels. So I will tell the angel to do stuff and they’ll do it. I’m not under anybody. I’ve been taken to heaven where he has anointed me and appointed me for this. So, people is wondering how I work in this field. I have been appointed by God,” she says.

Further into the clip, Bartley addressed Smith’s death, saying she lifted him up but he was “still breathing… so we took him out of the water. His heart rate was okay, there was nothing… but this time he was, he had a glimpse of heaven. He had a glimpse of heaven.”

Smith, who was originally from Jamaica, worked as a barber in Brixton, according to the Post. Bartley is expected to appear in court on May 14.