Kindgo
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Father and Son Charged With Desecration of Human Remains After Raid of Newark Temple
The Associated Press
Published: Oct 9, 2002
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A raid on the basement temple of a religious sect uncovered human body parts allegedly stolen from cemeteries and the remains of several animals that may have been sacrificed by worshippers.
The human remains, including three skulls, were found Monday in caldrons set up on altars in a building owned by Eddie Figueroa, 56, who authorities believe is a high priest in the Palo Mayombe sect.
Figueroa and his son, Eddie Figueroa Jr., 35, pleaded innocent Tuesday to possession of stolen property and desecration of human remains.
Authorities found the animal remains later in the day when they dug up the rear yard of the building.
It was the second time in two months that Newark authorities have recovered stolen body parts from worshippers of the sect, whose priests use human remains in their rituals.
The raid grew out of an investigation that began in July, when some remains were stolen from a crypt at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark.
Palo Mayombe is a derivative of Bakongo, a West African religion that slaves brought to Cuba in the 19th century. It was taken to the United States by Cuban immigrants who have arrived within the past few decades.
While most Palo Mayombe worshippers do not steal human remains, members of the local sect have taken bones from above-ground crypts, said Dean Maglione, an assistant Essex County prosecutor.
"We received a number of calls while we were prosecuting (another theft) case," Maglione told The Star-Ledger of Newark. "There is obviously a lot of this going on and it's of great concern to us."
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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