A UK pastor is facing serious criminal charges after a 61-year-old man drowned during a backyard baptism ceremony that was being livestreamed on Facebook in Birmingham.
Cheryl Bartley, 48, of Life Changing Ministries, has been charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the death of Robert Smith on October 8, 2023.
According to authorities, Smith drowned in a small, makeshift pool set up in a garden on Slade Road in the Erdington area during the religious ceremony.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but Smith—described as a Brixton-based barber and grandfather of seven—was pronounced dead shortly after.
The baptism, attended by about a dozen people in person, was also being broadcast live via Facebook before the stream was abruptly cut. The video was later removed.
Smith, originally from Jamaica, had lived in the UK for approximately 25 years. Reports indicate he had previously been baptized but sought to undergo the ceremony again as part of a renewed commitment to his faith. He was also living with Parkinson’s disease at the time of his death.
In the aftermath of the incident, Bartley posted a video on social media claiming she had a vision of Smith in heaven “dancing with Jesus,” a statement that has drawn significant public attention as the case proceeds through the courts.
The charge was brought by the Crown Prosecution Service following an investigation conducted in collaboration with West Midlands Police. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, emphasized the importance of ensuring a fair trial and warned against commentary that could prejudice ongoing legal proceedings.
Bartley is scheduled to appear before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on May 14. Under UK law, a conviction for gross negligence manslaughter can carry a prison sentence ranging from one to 18 years.
The case has raised broader questions about safety protocols during religious ceremonies and the responsibilities of those leading them, particularly when vulnerable individuals are involved.
