Preacher charged with manslaughter after man drowns during baptism
Madison Burgess
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A pastor has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter after a grandad died during his baptism.
Robert Smith, 61, from Brixton in south London, died from drowning at an address in Erdington, Birmingham, on 8 October 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed.
Officials revealed that Cheryl Bartley, 48, was charged in relation to her role as a pastor during the baptism, which took place on Slade Road.
As per Metro, Smith was being baptised by Life Changing Ministries in a small pool in the property’s garden when tragedy struck.
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The publication reports that the ceremony was live on the church’s Facebook page, but it was cut short, and the video was removed.
West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed to Metro that it received a call at roughly 1.40pm on the day to respond to a medical emergency involving a man at a private address.
A spokesperson said: "Staff administered advanced life support to him, but unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him."
He was confirmed dead at the scene.
According to the publication, Smith was a grandfather of seven who moved from Jamaica to the UK 25 years ago, and worked in Brixton as a barber.
Allegedly, his family said he had already been baptised as a teen but opted for a second ceremony to become a ‘born-again believer’.
A Facebook post at the time of his death suggested that he'd travelled to Birmingham for the baptism and had been a member of the church for four years, as reported by the BBC.
While Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Special Crime Division, said of the case: “We have decided to prosecute Cheryl Bartley, 48, with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her role as a pastor during a baptism.
“This follows the death of 61-year-old Robert Smith from Brixton in south London, who died from drowning at an address in Slade Road, Erdington on 8 October 2023.
"Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings."
He added: “We have worked closely with West Midlands Police as it has carried out its investigation. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that she has the right to a fair trial.
"It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The pastor, who hails from Erdington, will appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 14 May, the CPS said.
Gross negligence manslaughter involves a death as a result of a grossly negligent (though otherwise lawful) act or omission on behalf of a defendant.