Woman claims to have been abducted and beaten by Santeria group

[brymble]

http://www.news4jax.com/news/17539473/detail.html

[~Elise~]

what an absolute crock of bullhockey! and I'm being nice.

[Teresa]

could she be a " nutcase" ? IMO, she is the story is a bunch of bunk, just trying to give Santeria a bad name as usual.

[Artiste-LiLi]

I'm sad this lady was so seriously injured....however it happened. Having read the story, I can see many potential paths of occurance..and some holes. Some of the issues I thought key: some of the people were of this alleged Santeria group, drugs, teenagers. My base thought? She used to hang out with some of these people, they were into drugs and "other things", she decided to leave the group...possibly with threats of telling on them, they decided to "put the fear of..." in her to keep her from telling. Also....they caught her on her way home from church on Saturday? They took her, were abusive to her...she got away and she didn't call police and report this on SATURDAY? Next: They came and got her again on Sunday, abused and beat her...she had a cellphone in her pocket that she didn't use until AFTER? I wasn't there, I don't know what REALLY happened...but if I had a cellphone in my pocket..I'd be trying my damnedest to call 911..even if I just had to speed dial it and let the emergency line listen to what was happening. They can trace cellphone signals by triangulating on the cell towers. Now if she had no cell service where she was..that changes things a little...but it still does not excuse her not calling the police on Saturday.

[WitchJezebel]

I'm not buying this story at all.

[~Elise~]

unfortunately, the public probably is.

[Garm]

Well Santiera, having no official theology AFAIK, can easily mutate in to something else

Heck, there are Christian groups that indulge in this sort behavior and although I don't remember any thing on this continent since the days of "deprogramming" it has emerged as a problem with some of the less than Orthodox sects current in China where kidnapping twenty plus people from a rival church is not unheard of

[Artiste-LiLi]

Found this posted on another list I'm on....they posting person did not include a reference so..take it with a grain of salt:

September 26, 2008

Sheriff's Office: Woman's claim of
kidnapping 'unfounded'


Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives announced today they closed as "unfounded" the case of a Palm Coast woman who claimed to be abducted and attacked by members of a voodoo occult group.

Michelle Wood, 42,was found Monday lying on the side of U.S. 1 in St. Johns County, beaten and bloodied with a rope tied around her right wrist and a bungee cord around her left ankle, reports said. She told St. Johns Sheriff's deputies she ended up that way after being abducted twice by members of a Santeria voodoo occult she once associated with. Wood was hospitalized for a time but has since been released.

She said she was attacked when she refused to participate in drug use and devil worship in a ceremony related to the autumnal equinox.

But cult experts said Wood's story didn't match up with known voodoo practices. And sheriff's investigators found no evidence of organized satanic worship in the county, according to Maj. David O’Brien, Criminal Investigation Unit Supervisor.

In fact, O'Brien said his investigators couldn't find "credible evidence" that a crime even occurred. Plus, Wood has a history of making similar fraudulent claims to law enforcement, the Sheriff's Office said.

Wood couldn't be reached for comment

[Sequoia]

In fact, O'Brien said his investigators couldn't find "credible evidence" that a crime even occurred. Plus, Wood has a history of making similar fraudulent claims to law enforcement, the Sheriff's Office said.

Wood couldn't be reached for comment

Yeah, why wouldn't THAT surprise me?