November 5, 2013

The Story Behind the Infant That Died During Baptism


Below is an update to the story published in July 2010 titled "Death of Infant After Baptism in Moldova".

November 3, 2013

For the second time this year a video which shows the baptism of an infant that a short while later expired is circling the Greek internet causing goosebumps to anyone who sees it.

This is a video that was shot three years ago in a village in Moldova. Specifically, in July 2010, the priest Valentin Taraloungka was celebrating the baptism of an infant about a month in age.

A half hour after the baptism the baby died.

The priest appeared in court in November 2011 where he was sentenced for manslaughter with 18 months imprisonment.

Being sure that he was not the perpetrator of the death of the infant, the priest continued to claim his innocence.

At the trial that followed, having been in prison for four and a half months, the priest was acquitted.

A closer analysis of forensic findings proved that eventually the baby did not drown. The child was suffering from a lung disease unknown to the family, which was the cause of his death.

The priest was released on April 6 last year.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.