Autism is Not Posession

CNN.com - Autistic boy’s death at church ruled homicide - Aug. 26, 2003

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (CNN) — An 8-year-old autistic boy who died at a prayer service where church members tried to heal him of “spirits” was suffocated, the medical examiner’s office said Monday.

This struck a little too close to home for me. My own son has autistic tendencies. Note the pastor’s attitude here (yuck):

Ray Hemphill — a pastor at the storefront church and the brother of head Pastor David Hemphill — was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of child abuse and is awaiting formal charges, authorities said. Ray Hemphill led Friday’s prayer service, his brother said.

David Hemphill told CNN that Terrance and his mother had been attending the church for about three months.

The adults formed a circle around the boy and placed their hands lightly over him as they prayed for him, David Hemphill said Sunday.

”[They] were just praying for him and asking God to deliver him from the spirit that he had,” David Hemphill said. “The little boy had spirits in him, and we was asking God to deliver him.”