Polygamist Kills 4 Year Old Over Fears He Was Gay

[Queen Of Hearts]

WTF???

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Woma ... 77041.html

Woman Pleads Guilty In Polygamist Sect Murders

A member of a polygamist cult is pleading guilty to her role in the North Carolina shooting deaths of a 4-year-old boy who offended the group's leader and a woman who sought to leave.

LaRhonda Renee Smith pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder in the slayings of 28-year-old Antoinetta McKoy and 4-year-old Jadon Higganbothan. Smith was sentenced to between 23 and 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Smith and two other women were followers of Pete Moses, who lead a group called the Black Hebrews. The adults and their children lived together in Durham and later in Teller County, Colorado.

Moses shot Jadon in the head after the boy made a gesture toward another child that Moses thought indicated Jadon was gay.

[ThatSnark]

This happened at close range; we've been following it since it happened here. Unlike a lot of other cults, this one was happening in a normal-looking newish suburban neighborhood, so a lot of people knew the women. There were domestic disturbance calls before the murders happened. The neighbors did not realize that all the women living in the house identified themselves as Moses' wives. Apparently he was very controlling (no surprise) and instructed them to use a different story when interacting with anyone outside the house.

I was working a block away from the house where they found the two bodies the following summer, buried in the backyard of a relative. The whole thing was and is absolutely horrific.

[laura oz]

WHAT?! I am just horrified. How the hell could a 4 yr old be held fatally accountable for that? What could an adult be thinking to murder a young woman and a 4 yr old boy just for maybe offending someone? I just have no gd words. Why do people get involved in this shit? Please someone explain it to me, cause I must be too simple to get it. That's just so tragic. GDit

[2xx1xy1JD]

WTF indeed. The kid was FOUR YEARS OLD!

Does anyone have more information on this particular group? I know that there are several different Black Hebrews groups, but never heard of Pete Moses or this sort of extreme violence. For the most part, mainstream Jews tend to think of them as a somewhat odd group that isn't Jewish according to traditional Jewish law, but is essentially harmless.

[ThatSnark]

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/9837281/#/vid9837281 explains a little about this group. It's not a pleasant thing to listen to. Apparently he was the leader, so this isn't part of a larger church group locally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hebrew_Israelites has information on the movement, which is only loosely federated.

I remember seeing the women and children at the grocery store and was deeply upset when I heard about all of this. You never think things like this are possible under your own nose, until they happen.

[Bethella]

Here's the earlier thread. It's pretty short, but there are links to other articles, one of which seems to give more information about the group.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12837&p=379257&hilit=Jadon+Higganbothan#p379257

[Buzzard]

Interesting that she and Moses pled to it. I'm curious what will happen to the other codefendants. That sentence is pretty light for a double homicide with such extremes to cover it up so I wonder whats in the works with the others.

[Brittanicals6]

This just breaks my heart. I am the mother of four sons, the second born of which came out at 15. I keep thinking of my Jesse, now 20, as a sweet four year old. He was just such sweet joy. Unbelievable.

[grateful1230]

I want to know the story we aren't being told yet. 23-30 is really low for child murder here