Pastor charged over drowning during Birmingham baptism
Pastor charged over drowning during Birmingham baptism
A pastor is charged with gross negligence manslaughter after a man, Robert Smith, drowned during a baptism in Erdington in 2023.
A woman has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter after a man died during a baptism ceremony in Birmingham. Cheryl Bartley, 48, is accused in connection with the death of Robert Smith, 61, who lived in Brixton, south London. The ceremony took place at a home on Slade Road in Erdington in October 2023 and involved a paddling pool set up in a back garden, with about a dozen people watching. Bartley is charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in her role as a pastor at the event. She is due to appear at Birmingham magistrates' court on Thursday 14 May.
Emergency services were called to the Erdington address on 8 October; West Midlands Ambulance Service dispatched a paramedic officer and a critical care car from the Midlands Air Ambulance. Medics were unable to save Smith, who died at the scene. Smith, originally from Jamaica, had been in the UK for at least 25 years; he worked as a barber and was a grandfather of seven.
The Crown Prosecution Service said there was sufficient evidence to pursue criminal proceedings and that it was in the public interest to do so. The CPS stressed the importance of a fair trial and asked that reporting not prejudice proceedings. The case is being handled by West Midlands Police as part of their investigation.
The baptism was filmed and livestreamed on the church's Facebook page. The ceremony took place in a home setting and drew a congregation of around a dozen people, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety at improvised religious ceremonies.
Bartley’s appearance is scheduled; this case adds to concerns about safety protocols at improvised religious ceremonies.
