Shocking news out of Eastern Europe:

The parents decided to baptize the child on July 22. The priest of the local church, who is also the chief of all priests of the district, was not going to be there, so he asked priest Valentine Tsaralunge from the village of Taul to perform the ceremony.

“We have not figured out yet why he invited this father Valentine and not another priest from Riscani district,” Valery Moskalu, the district police officer, told Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Approximately twenty of the closest relatives and friends came to the church at 4:30PM. Father Valentin began the baptism ceremony.

“He dipped the baby in the water without even covering the baby’s mouth with his hand to prevent him from drowning,” recalls Dmitry Gaydeu, the father of the six weeks-old Laurentiu. “He put his hand on his stomach and dipped him in the water three times.”

The Godparents saw that the boy was not well and warned father Valentine. He answered it was not the first time that he was conducting the ceremony and knew what he was doing. When they saw that the child showed no signs of life, he was immediately taken to the district hospital.

“We went along with the father,” continues Dmitry Gaydeu. “The physician-pathologist Sergei Railean said that my son has suffered mechanical asphyxia by drowning, there was bruising and bleeding in the soft tissues of his neck. The doctor said the baby was healthy.”

“After that, father Valentine disappeared for some time,” the police officer said. “Then he came to us. We believe that during his absence he went to Chisinau, to the archdiocese.”

Six-weeks-old Laurentiu was buried on Saturday, July 24.

“This is the case of homicide through reckless imprudence. Father Valentine is facing up to three years of imprisonment. However, he claims he is not guilty.

“We will do everything to find out the truth,” said Dmitry Gaydeu” The boy was healthy, so the priest who conducted the rite of baptism is to blame for his death.”

More details are at the link.