The cult church family who flogged one teen son to death and left the other in critical condition last week did so because the two youths were going to “leave the fold.”
The 12-hour brutal punishment of Lucas Leonard and his younger brother Christopher at the ‘Word of Life’ compound was inflicted by their parents and a 33-year-old sister, an eyewitness who serves as a deacon there confessed.
He said the fanatical trio also had assistance from at least three other church members throughout the deadly “spiritual counseling” session that was conducted with whips, belts, feet and fists because the brothers planned to “move on.”
All six suspects who actively participated in flogging or restraining the two teenagers are currently in police custody and face manslaughter charges for the fatal group assault.
According to public records, the Christian fundamentalist Word of Life cult has been in existence in rural upstate New York for about three decades, but has been experiencing significant membership attrition in recent years.
This is the first known instance where one of their “secret” rituals has resulted in bloodshed and murder.
Eponymous Rox
Christian fundamentalism, religious fanatics, flogging deaths
