A British pastor has been charged with manslaughter after a baptism ceremony ended in tragedy. Cheryl Bartley, 48, the leader of Life Changing Ministries, was charged Wednesday with gross negligence manslaughter over the drowning of 61-year-old Robert Smith during a backyard baptism in Birmingham, England, according to the Associated Press. The incident took place in October 2023, when Smith died during a ceremony conducted in a kiddie pool, per the outlet. The event was initially livestreamed on Facebook but ended abruptly as the situation unfolded, with the video later removed, the BBC reported. According to a Facebook post shared by the ministry, Smith had been a member of the church for four years and had traveled to Birmingham for the baptism, the outlet reported. Bartley is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on May 14 as the case moves forward.
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