British pastor charged with manslaughter after man drowned during his ‘born again’ baptism

A 61-year-old man who drowned during a christening in Birmingham that was live-streamed to a small congregation and ultimately led to his death has become the subject of a criminal case.Robert Smith, a grandfather of seven from Brixton, south London, died on October 8, 2023, at a property on Slade Road, Erdington, while attending a baptism conducted by the Reverend Cheryl Bartley, the BBC reported. Bartley, 48, has since been charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter and is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on May 14.The ceremony took place in a small paddling pool in the Address Garden and Facebook The life-changing ministry of Bartley’s church. As the incident unfolded, the live stream was cut off and later deleted.

Smith had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and after his death, the church shared a post on Facebook describing him as a long-time member of the church. The post indicated he had been a member of the church for four years and traveled to Birmingham specifically for the baptism. Although he had been baptized as a teenager, he sought a second baptism after becoming what the church calls a “born-again believer.”

Emergency services attended the scene and provided advanced life support, but Smith could not be revived and was pronounced dead before being taken to hospital. Born in Jamaica, he worked as a hairdresser before living in the UK for more than 25 years. At the time of his death, he was preparing to welcome his eighth grandson.The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges against Bartley following an investigation by West Midlands Police. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crimes Unit, said: “We have decided to charge Cheryl Bartley, 48, with one count of aggravated manslaughter in relation to her role as a priest during a baptism.”He added: “This follows the death of Robert Smith, 61, from Brixton, south London, who drowned on Slade Road, Erdington, on October 8, 2023.”“Our prosecutors have worked hard to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to bring criminal charges.”

McHaffee also highlighted the legal sensitivities surrounding the case, saying: “We remind all parties involved that criminal proceedings against this defendant are ongoing and that she is entitled to a fair trial. It is critical that there be no reporting, comment or information sharing online that could prejudice these proceedings in any way.”The specific circumstances of the drowning during the baptism have not been detailed in court and the case will now be heard through judicial proceedings