Scientific Knowledge/ claims
Did the witch trials ( hunts ) end in 1700’s
no
Modern Day Sequel
satanic day care cases of 1980 and early 1990
claim: devil worshippers had set up daycare centers across the country and were allegegly:
raping/ sodomizing children, practicing ritual sacrifice, sheding their cloths, drinking blood/ eating feces
devil in nursery, margaret talbot writing for new york times
Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA): Modern day witch hunt
happened between 1984-1985
185 adults were charged with ritual abuse
113 were convicted
many of the conviction were overturned
several stayed in jail for years
Fran & Dan Keller
Austin, TX , early 90s, imprisoned 1992
had day care ran out of their home and property
took in children that were not welcome at other facilities
children were usually had emotional trauma
Fran gave kids play clothes and would wash their clothes (washing away evidence)
Dan made toys for kids ( drums he made were used to summon Satan)
1 accuser started the investigation
Dan/ Fran keller 20 years later
2015 may, court of criminal aappeals
Judge cheryl johnson- admitted NO crime had in fact occurred ( was a witch hunt from beginning )
This was limited ruling: left the kellers in legal limbo ( permamnently accused- but not cleared and never to be tried
Kellers were cleared of charges 2017(25 years later)
recieved compensation from state 2018
Southwest of salem: P story of san antonio 4
video 1- initial case
video 2 after case
other cases from around the world
2006 - west bengal : anita mandal and 2 year old daughter were drowned in River ganga after a village exorcist convinced her relative that she and her child were witches
2012- villagers at daru tangara toli, india, lynched 2 elderly people, including a woman on charges of witchcraft
2012- sir lanka, a woman beheaded for allegedly casting a spell on 13 year old girl
the girl’s father claimed she suddenly started acting in on abnormal way, happened after she came close to the sri lankan woman
Papa New Guinea :2013 feb 8
accusation: sorcery
evidence
obtained though torture
outcome: 20 year old mother stripped tortured and burned alive
Other interesting world beliefs
in Tanzania, albino children have been attacked- and had limbs cut off
witch doctors in region believe that their bones are magic