Pregnant Woman, 6 Children Found Dead In Panama, Reportedly Tortured, Killed By Cult

Authorities in Panama have arrested several members of a religious cult in the Ngäbe-Buglé region for reportedly torturing and killing a pregnant woman and six children before dumping their bodies in a mass grave.

Police discovered the grave after another three people who reportedly escaped from the cult, known as New Light of God, told police about the grave after arriving at a local hospital to be treated for the injuries they suffered while allegedly being held hostage. They also told police several other families were being held by the cult.

Investigators found the mass grave with the bodies of a 32-year-old woman, described as 4-6 months pregnant, and six children, three boys and three girls.

Police Wednesday raided the cult’s isolated community in northwestern Panama. They reportedly found a makeshift church filled with knives, machetes, a ritually sacrificed goa, and a naked woman. Ten members of the cult were arrested for alleged involvement in the seven deaths.

Fifteen people, including two pregnant women and several children, were freed after they allegedly were ritualistically tortured by the cult.

“They were performing a ritual inside the structure,” prosecutor Rafael Baloyes told reporters. “In that ritual, there were people being held against their will, being mistreated. All of these rites were aimed at killing them if they didn't repent their sins.”

Baloyes said the New Light of God had been active in the region for three months, but had avoided violence until the past few weeks. He said one of the cult members alleged he heard a “message from God,” and the cult reportedly abducted several people from their homes on Saturday. The cult then allegedly started ritualistically beating and killing their prisoners before dumping the bodies in the mass grave.