German Prosecutors Charge Family and 'Miracle Healer' for Killing Young Woman in 'Exorcism Ritual'

Rituals intended to "banish demons" can be extremely dangerous – and in some cases lead to the painful and gruesome death of a person when a family is trying to "help" the "possessed" person in some bizarre way.

Four suspects were accused on Tuesday of the death of a young woman in an "exorcism ritual" that took place four years ago. According to a report, 22-year old Nesma M. was forced to drink large amounts of salt water, as her husband, his parents, and a self-proclaimed "Islamic miracle healer" tried to cure her infertility by "expelling demons".

PM: Anklageerhebung wegen Tötung der Ehefrau durch „Salzwasserkur“ zur Teufelsaustreibung pic.twitter.com/txtYC92VTJ

— GenStA Berlin (@GStABerlin) April 28, 2020

​As a result, on 7 December 2015 she died in a Berlin hospital of pulmonary embolisms and excess fluid in the brain, as medics were unable to save her life.