Two arrested in Massachusetts over voodoo ritual that permanently disfigured 5-year-old girl

Two Massachusetts women allegedly “tied up, burned and disfigured” a 5-year-old girl during a Haitian Voodoo ritual, The Enterprise reported.

The East Bridgewater women told police they performed a voodoo ritual in an attempt to rid the girl of a demon that was making her misbehave, according to the report. One of the women also allegedly threatened to cut off the head of the girl’s 8-year-old brother.

Peggy LaBossiere, 51, and her sister, Rachel Hilaire, 40, were arraigned in Brockton District Court and held without bail after pleading not guilty to charges charges of mayhem (permanently disfiguring a child’s face), assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a child with injury, indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14 and threatening to commit a crime (murder), The Enterprise reported.

What did they do?

At one point in the ritual, LaBossiere allegedly blew flames from a burning stick over the girl’s face, the report stated. Oils and a caustic chemical were applied to the girl’s head and in her eyes and resulted in “permanent disfigurement” to her face.

Both children told police what was done to them during the ritual, according to The Enterprise. The boy told police LaBossiere allegedly threatened to cut off his head with a machete. She also allegedly held a long stick to his throat, making it hard for him  to breathe, police said. LaBossiere denied taking any of these actions.

Christianity regards voodoo as a demonic practice, as it promotes communicating with deceased relatives, calling on the recently deceased to perform favors, and allowing oneself to become "possessed" by spirits.

Did the Clintons participate in a voodoo ritual?

Strangely, a Washington Post account of the Massachusetts crime concludes by mentioning that Bill and Hillary Clinton once watched a voodoo ritual near Haiti's capital near Port-au-Prince.

The Washington Post noted that in 2015 it reported on a writing by former President Bill Clinton that gave an account of the ritual:

"After several minutes of rhythmic dancing to pounding drums, the spirits arrived, seizing a woman and a man," Clinton wrote. "The man proceeded to rub a burning torch all over his body and walk on hot coals without being burned."

"The woman, in a frenzy, screamed repeatedly, then grabbed a live chicken and bit its head off. Then the spirits left and those who had been possessed fell to the ground," she added.

Stranger still, Clinton mentions voodoo in 2017 book, “What Happened.” She wrote that she was so frustrated over the email server controversy that she was tempted to make voodoo dolls of certain members of the media and Congress and "stick them full of pins."

An excerpt from the book reads:

“It was like quicksand: the more you struggle, the deeper you sink. At times, I thought I must be going crazy. Other times I was sure it was the world that had gone nuts,” Clinton wrote. “Sometimes I snapped at my staff. I was tempted to make voodoo dolls of certain members of the press and Congress and stick them full of pins. Mostly, I was furious at myself.”