Wolrd Religion

An Oregon couple who left their infant daughter's fate to God rather than seek medical treatment for a mass that grew over her left eye will face charges of first-degree criminal mistreatment.

Prosecutors revealed Thursday during a custody hearing that a grand jury has indicted Timothy and Rebecca Wyland, members of Oregon City's Followers of Christ church.

• Email to a friend • Article Search • View comments • Track comments • •

When Pascal's little brother got sick, his family accused him of witchcraft and took him to a pastor who forced him to drink pigeon's blood and oil.

Denied food and beaten for three days, the ten-year-old managed to escape, joining some 250,000 other street children in Congo for three years until he was scooped up by a children's centre in Kinshasa's tough east end.

UNICEF, the United Nations' children's charity, says accusing children of sorcery is a fairly new and growing trend in Africa, despite long-held traditional and mystic beliefs on the continent.

• Email to a friend • Article Search • View comments • Track comments • •