Priest in Moldova, Father Valentin, drowns baby during the child's baptism

 

Priest in Moldova, Father Valentin, drowns baby during the child's baptism

Priest in Moldova, Father Valentin, allegedly drowns baby during the child's baptism

It all went so very wrong.

A priest in Moldova has been accused of accidentally drowning a 6-week-old baby during the boy's baptism, according to London's Daily Mail.

The baby's relatives said he died Friday after the priest, who is referred to only as Father Valentin, did not cover the tot's mouth and nose when he immersed the child in water three times.

The priest said he isn't to blame for the child's death in the Eastern European country. But the child's family thinks otherwise.

It all went so very wrong. A priest in Moldova has been accused of accidentally drowning a 6-week-old baby during the boy's baptism, according to London's Daily Mail. The baby's relatives said he died Friday after the priest, who is referred to only as Father Valentin, did not cover the tot's mouth and nose when he immersed the child in water three times. The priest said he isn't to blame for the child's death in the Eastern European country. But the child's family thinks otherwise. "We couldn't believe it but we thought the priest must know what he's doing, but he didn't. When we got him back there was nothing that could be done anymore," the baby's godmother, Aliona Vacarciuc, 32, told London's Sun. "We all saw it. The priest didn't put his hand over the baby's mouth to stop water going in as he should have done and as they do at every other baptism," said the child's father, Dumitru Gaidau, 36. The baby died on the way to the hospital, Gaidau told a local television station. Dr. Sergiu Raileanu said the cause of death was drowning. Police have launched a manslaughter investigation. If the priest is found guilty, he could spend up to three years behind bars.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-07-28/news/27071102_1_priest-baptism-baby

Moldova

29.07.2010

Baby Boy Drowns During Baptism Ceremony in Moldova

A shocking incident occurred in the village of Mihaileny of Rishcansky district of Moldova with a boy named Laurentiu, who was born six weeks ago in the family of 24-year-old Ludmila and Dmitry Gaydeu.

The parents decided to baptize the child on July 22. The priest of the local church, who is also the chief of all priests of the district, was not going to be there, so he asked priest Valentine Tsaralunge from the village of Taul to perform the ceremony.

“We have not figured out yet why he invited this father Valentine and not another priest from Riscani district,” Valery Moskalu, the district police officer, told Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Approximately twenty of the closest relatives and friends came to the church at 4:30PM. Father Valentin began the baptism ceremony.

 

“He dipped the baby in the water without even covering the baby's mouth with his hand to prevent him from drowning,” recalls Dmitry Gaydeu, the father of the six weeks-old Laurentiu. “He put his hand on his stomach and dipped him in the water three times.”

 

The Godparents saw that the boy was not well and warned father Valentine. He answered it was not the first time that he was conducting the ceremony and knew what he was doing. When they saw that the child showed no signs of life, he was immediately taken to the district hospital.

“We went along with the father,” continues Dmitry Gaydeu. ”The physician-pathologist Sergei Railean said that my son has suffered mechanical asphyxia by drowning, there was bruising and bleeding in the soft tissues of his neck. The doctor said the baby was healthy.”

“After that, father Valentine disappeared for some time,” the police officer said. “Then he came to us. We believe that during his absence he went to Chisinau, to the archdiocese.”

Six-weeks-old Laurentiu was buried on Saturday, July 24.

 

“This is the case of homicide through reckless imprudence. Father Valentine is facing up to three years of imprisonment. However, he claims he is not guilty.

“We will do everything to find out the truth,” s aid Dmitry Gaydeu” The boy was healthy, so the priest who conducted the rite of baptism is to blame for his death.”

http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/29-07-2010/114414-baby_baptism-0/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/07/28/2010-07-28_priest_in_moldova_father_valentin_allegedly_drowns_baby_during_the_childs_baptis.html#ixzz0v1FQtfdJ