Pastor in court over baptism death

A church pastor has appeared in court over the death of a man who drowned during a baptism ceremony at a house in Birmingham.

Cheryl Bartley, 48, is charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her role as a pastor during the baptism.

Robert Smith, from Brixton, London, died at an address on Slade Road, Erdington, on 8 October 2023, and the court heard that during the 61-year old's baptism he was submerged in a pool and left for a total four minutes.

Bartley, of Erdington, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday where she did not enter any plea and spoke only to confirm her name and address.

The court was told that Smith had Parkinson's disease and this had left him with clear disabilities and difficulty in walking.

Bartley, who is a Jamaican national, was granted bail on condition that she does not leave the United Kingdom, and ordered to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on 11 June.

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