Texas Pastor Charged with Death of Toddler Starved in Religious Ritual

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Apr 17, 2015

Texas Pastor Charged with Death of Toddler Starved in Religious Ritual

A Texas pastor is being charged in connection with the death of a toddler who was starved for nearly one month and died. Charisma News reports the child was only given water for 25 days as a religious ritual to cast away demons.

The pastor, Araceli Meza, 49 has been charged with causing serious injury to a child. According to police, the two-year-old toddler died at a home that housed four family’s as well as Meza’s small, non-denominational church. 

Police were called to the home in Balch Springs on March 26 after receiving an anonymous tip; by the time authorities arrived, the child had been dead for four days. Witnesses said the child’s parents had wrapped the body in a blanket and taken it to Mexico, accompanied by Meza and her husband

The pastor is currently being held by police on $100,000 bail. 

Balch Springs Police Lieutenant Mark Maret said that the investigation is ongoing as authorities will need to question all witnesses. 

"We believe there could be multiple suspects, including the parents, but we don't know who is a suspect and who is a witness until we interview everyone,” he said. 

Publication date: April 17, 2015



Texas Pastor Charged with Death of Toddler Starved in Religious Ritual