Eleven-year-old disabled boy was forcibly baptized at an evangelical church in Chardon, lawsuit says

[Heddi]

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/03/eleven-year-old_disabled_boy_w.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The mentor of an 11-year-old disabled Geauga County boy told the boy's parents he was taking him to a church picnic when he picked him up last August 28.

But the Big Brother volunteer had other plans that day which have haunted the boy with nightmares, and infuriated the boy's parents, April and Gregg DeFibaugh of Hambden Township, according to a lawsuit the couple filed Monday in U.S. District Court.

Pastor Matt Chesnes of the Morning Star Friends Church in Chardon was presiding over a group baptism that Friday. And unknown to the parents, their son was going to participate in the ceremony.

Together, Pastor Matt and the Big Brother, David Guarnera, 54, of Chardon, conducted the baptism, plunging his head underwater for the total immersion rite, the lawsuit said.

The men "held his head under water to the point where (he) felt like he was choking and could not breathe," according to the lawsuit.

...
The plaintiffs have suffered and continue to suffer loss of their constitutional rights to choose and practice the religion of their choice, and the right to provide or not provide religious education to their child as they see fit without the interference and indoctrination" of the defendants, the lawsuit said.

The couple is represented by Cleveland lawyer Kenneth Myers, as well as Geoffrey Blackwell, an attorney at the American Atheists Legal Center in Washington, D.C. The Atheists organization also distributed a press release on Tuesday.

The DeFibaughs are non-religious, but don't identify themselves as Atheists, said Nick Fish, national program director for the American Atheists group. The parents deferred comment to Fish.

"Parents have a right to raise their children as they wish," Fish said. "The point is this child underwent a baptism against their wishes. Can you imagine the outrage if a Christian child was forcibly taken to a Black Mass or a Muslim ceremony?"


...

Initially, Vaughan was appointed as a guardian for the 11-year-old boy's 14-year-old sister, who was exhibiting behavioral problems in 2016, according to the lawsuit. During the ensuing court proceedings, it became apparent that the boy was socially awkward and also could benefit from Vaughan's guardianship.

Vaughan, who also was a member of the Morning Star Friends Church, used her time with the DeFibaughs to preach about Jesus, and gave them religious books, tapes and CDs, the lawsuit said.

The DeFibaughs felt intimidated by Vaughan and complained to her supervisors at CASA For Kids of Geauga County, but the officials declined to remove Vaughan as their children's guardian.
...
But contrary to the parents' orders, Guarnera often talked about religion with the boy, played religious songs on the car radio, and told him he didn't like families that did not believe in God. The boy said he felt intimidated and feared Guarnera would abandon him if he didn't go along with the religious bond, the lawsuit said.

On the day of the baptism, the boy said Guarnera threatened not to take him to any more baseball games if he declined to participate in the ceremony. He said Guarnera pushed him forward when the pastor called for the baptism participants to stand, according to the lawsuit.

[RKP5637]

1. K&R! Individuals such as this are off their rockers! n/t

[WePurrsevere]

2. FORCING your religious beliefs on someone...

Is not a good way to win anyone truly over to your path. It's a way to piss them off and push them away permanently.

[Lordquinton]

3. The Satanists can provide a ceremony to unbaptize

But that can't remove the trauma endured.