FL - Parents throw 9-year old child into bonfire to "rid him of demon"; father shot dead after attacking police - 12/24/23

[Clearsky]

Man shot dead by police after throwing boy into bonfire to ‘rid him of demon’

The child is not suffering from serious injuries and is currently with the Florida Department of Children and Families

www.independent.co.uk

Richard Ham was “armed” with two metal rods, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office wrote. Lakenya Lavonn Phillips was met with various charges after police recovered her son from a burning fire

 

[LovesPeace2]

Dear God that poor child ,glad he is away from that horror jmoo

 

[al66pine]

@Clearsky

Why, oh, why, do people committing these atrocious acts claim they are doing it because a chikd is possessed by demons?

 

[10ofRods]

@Clearsky

Why, oh, why, do people committing these atrocious acts claim they are doing it because a chikd is possessed by demons?

Because that's what they believe. And typically, others have taught and encouraged them to believe it.

SMH.

 

[al66pine]

Because that's what they believe. And typically, others have taught and encouraged them to believe it. SMH

@10ofRods
True, sadly.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Man shot dead by police after throwing boy into bonfire to ‘rid him of demon’

The child is not suffering from serious injuries and is currently with the Florida Department of Children and Families

www.independent.co.uk

Richard Ham was “armed” with two metal rods, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office wrote. Lakenya Lavonn Phillips was met with various charges after police recovered her son from a burning fire

View attachment 470028

Thank goodness this little one was rescued! He would have surely met certain death with those two. I hope he feels safe, secure, well fed and clean now.

Snip:
The child is not suffering from serious injuries and is currently with the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Authorities spoke to the child, who said that he had not bathed or brushed his teeth in at least 10 days and had not been fed for at least 24 hours.

The nine-year-old also added that both adults “regularly” used drugs. Apparently, Ham had previously threatened the child with a large knife — and said that knife had been used to “to kill someone.”

 

[Springrain]

As absolutely awful as this is I am SO glad the child is still ALIVE and breathing. I hope he can be put into a safe situation and begin the healing process ASAP.

 

[KMouse]

Man shot dead by police after throwing boy into bonfire to ‘rid him of demon’

The child is not suffering from serious injuries and is currently with the Florida Department of Children and Families

www.independent.co.uk

Richard Ham was “armed” with two metal rods, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office wrote. Lakenya Lavonn Phillips was met with various charges after police recovered her son from a burning fire

View attachment 470028

There's so much going on in that article. It reads like fiction but sadly it's true.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Man puts son into fire believing the boy was 'possessed by demon'

A man was shot and killed by a deptury The Highlands County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) said at 4:07 p.m. on Tuesday, a call came in regarding people burning a pile

cbs12.com

The sheriff's office discovered Phillips and the 9-year-old boy were listed as missing and endangered out of Wichita, Kansas on December 6. It still has not been determined when or why they came to Highlands County.

 

[al66pine]

Richard Ham & Lakenya Phillips Relationship?

https://cbs12.com/news/local/convic...-south-carolinPa-and-georgia-december-20-2023

The sheriff's office discovered Phillips and the 9-year-old boy were listed as missing and endangered out of Wichita, Kansas on December 6. It still has not been determined when or why they came to Highlands County.

@PayrollNerd Thanks for your post.
Missing and endangered from/in Wichita KS.
Ends up in FL.
Any hint of communication btwn Ham & Phillips before she & son were reported missing & endangered?
Puzzling.

 

[SMK777]

What an absolutely horrific story. Thankfully not as bad as it might’ve been in terms of the outcome.

 

[Clearsky]

Because that's what they believe. And typically, others have taught and encouraged them to believe it.

SMH.

That's not something a person would typically believe or attempt to "fix" by throwing a child into a bonfire. It makes me think they were a cult akin to the Turpin family.

 

[azure]

That's not something a person would typically believe or attempt to "fix" by throwing a child into a bonfire. It makes me think they were a cult akin to the Turpin family.

I think they were just doing a ton of drugs. Drugs were found in the vehicle and the son reported he saw his mom and Han doing drugs together.

 

[SMK777]

I think they were just doing a ton of drugs. Drugs were found in the vehicle and the son reported he saw his mom and Han doing drugs together.

I thought of drugs initially just from reading the headline.

 

[10ofRods]

That's not something a person would typically believe or attempt to "fix" by throwing a child into a bonfire. It makes me think they were a cult akin to the Turpin family.

Any group that teaches that children can be possessed by demons is a cult, in my opinion.

There are lots and lots of these groups, and they are attractive to people with pre-existing mindsets/mental conditions, IMO.

Obviously, we only hear about the extreme examples where LE gets involved.

I think they were just doing a ton of drugs. Drugs were found in the vehicle and the son reported he saw his mom and Han doing drugs together.

Even so, drug users still have thoughts and beliefs in their heads. This story didn't make itself up. A child was harmed because someone (druggie or not) had crazy ideas.

IMO.

 

[SMK777]

Even so, drug users still have thoughts and beliefs in their heads. This story didn't make itself up. A child was harmed because someone (druggie or not) had crazy ideas.

IMO.

True.