Faith

Update: Missing Religious Group Found Alive After Mass Suicide Fears

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) Authorities were questioning the leader of a breakaway religious sect Sunday, trying to figure out why its 13 members went missing after leaving behind evidence they were awaiting the rapture or some catastrophic event.

Ending a frantic search, deputies found the group just before noon at Jackie Robinson Park near Palmdale after getting a tip from a local resident, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore. He said all members are safe.

Officers had been searching a wide swath of Southern California since Saturday after family members found letters saying the group was awaiting an apocalyptic event and would soon see Jesus and their dead relatives in heaven.

The group of El Salvadoran immigrants described as “cult-like” by sheriff’s officials, was led by Reyna Marisol Chicas, a 32-year-old woman from Palmdale in northeast Los Angeles county, sheriff’s Captain Mike Parker said.

Members left behind cell phones, identifications, deeds to property, and letters indicating they were awaiting the Rapture.

The items came from a purse that a member of the group had left with her husband Saturday and asked him to pray over. He eventually looked inside and he and another member’s husband called authorities, authorities said.

“These letters read like a will and testament. They read like goodbye letters,” said Whitmore. “Coupled with the two husbands that come in and tell us ‘Our wives are missing, we believe they are under the spell of this lady,’” deputies had no choice but to treat the matter seriously, he said.

Whitmore said he didn’t know if the members had done anything like this before.

Sheriff’s officials said there was no criminal investigation planned.

The men told investigators they believe group members had been “brainwashed” by Chicas, and one expressed worries that they might harm themselves, Parker said. One of the children is 3, and the others range from 12 to 17.

When deputies arrived at the park they found the children playing on swings and the adults on a blanket praying out loud in Spanish.

The adults expressed shock at the notion that they might harm themselves, Parker said.

Comments (24)

  • BigWes
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:49pm

    Tonight on Chris Matthews..
    Missing Religious Group were actually at a Tea Party rally practising witchcraft..

    Report Post » BigWes  
  • Leisaza
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 4:55pm

    Just because people are awaiting the rapture and believe god could have come and taken them to heaven, it does not mean that they were contemplating suicide. Everyone needs to quit speculating and only look at the facts.

    Report Post »  
  • mtnclimberjim
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 10:30am

    There is always hope these freaks won’t be found next time. Wonder what kind of disease they brought with them. Oh i’m too harsh.

    Report Post » mtnclimberjim  
  • Hondaman
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 6:05am

    There is always hope they might see that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone.

    Report Post »  
  • Patriotbeliever
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 2:58am

    They need to trust in the lord, and we must pray for their salvation.

    Report Post »  
  • SamAdams25
    Posted on September 20, 2010 at 2:40am

    Even us ignorant racist bigoted islamophobes are glad that this didn’t turn out to be a Jim Jones kinda thing. As evil and horrible as we are (according to the socialist “progressives”), even we didn’t want to see children being led to their deaths by deluded fanatics. Now, if they are here illegally, then kindly and humanely send them home to El Salvadore. We have more than enough nutcase “progressives” here to deal with.

    Report Post » SamAdams25  
  • Taquoshi
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:34pm

    Thank God everyone was alive and well when located! My prayers were answered!!!

    Report Post » Taquoshi  
  • humanityblues
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 9:33pm

    Deeer takin er jobs!

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 7:54pm

    this is another attempt by lamestream media to give an example of “the crazy religious left”
    by putting all religious people into the same box

    shame on us for letting them get away with it for so long

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • Sara123
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 7:27pm

    This news presentation and the situation is distrurbing in a lot of ways.

    The American police state issuing orders for “psychological evaluations” for citizens is creepy. They suspected a suicide which turned out to be wrong. The people obviously thought they were going to be raptured and there are a lot of people online setting dates for rapture that are always wrong. That is not a crime nor it is the media and state’s business. People in the US can believe whatever they want to believe whether it is strange to the elite or not.

    In a free country, authorities, after finding the people and determining there is no plan for mass suicide would now walk away and mind their own business. The public does not have the “right to know” other people’s lawful business or beliefs. In a free country, the media would be protecting that freedom of the public; not hysterically egging on the police state to harm these innocent people for their “dangerous” beliefs.

    Report Post »  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:33pm

      One of the major concerns was the fact that there were a number of children missing, ranging from 17 to 3. I’m willing to bet my last dollar that every single person who was involved in the search was praying that these people would be found alive. Infanticide and filicide are terrible, terrible things and I am sure that the family members who found the purses, the property deeds and other articles that people generally give away when contemplating suicide thought the worst. I can’t blame these family members, because there were serious indicators of suicidal intent. And I don’t blame the police at all. It made the news because children were missing, not because of sensationalism.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
  • Joseph
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 7:16pm

    It’s a Santaria Shaministic cult, that’s all.It’s based in witchcraft, like so many of these groups formed in Centeral America.These religious cults are based in emotions and dramatics, and alot of symbolism.

    Report Post »  
  • MrButcher
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 6:33pm

    i wish more religious people would just run off and vanish.

    Report Post » MrButcher  
  • M31Sailor
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 6:26pm

    Were these El Salvs Illegal? If so they should be shipped by the first bus south . Fix your own country before taking jobs only Mexicans will do.
    Sailor

    Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • DagneyT
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 6:11pm

    Oh goody. They found a group of California crackpots. I’m so relieved. Folks, find Jesus. He’s all you need!

    Report Post » DagneyT  
  • dteam270
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 6:10pm

    Barack didn’t bother to show. Bummer

    Report Post » dteam270  
    • Stuck_in_CA
      Posted on September 20, 2010 at 7:31am

      If they’re waiting for “the Rapture”‘ they’ve got a long, long wait. If they‘d READ The Bible they’d know, HE’S coming HERE. We aren’t going anywhere!

      Report Post » Stuck_in_CA  
    • Bronco II
      Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:33am

      Thank you for saying what you said.Yes GOD will set his Kingdom up here on earth.I don’t believe in the Rapture Theory.But there is a false one coming first and many will be fooled so I study the Bible and know we are in that time but it still may not happen in my life time.I love studying it is like reading tommorrows newspaper.GOD even says I HAVE FORETOLD YOU ALL THINGS HAVE YOU READ IT. I’ve read the back of the book and GOD HAS THE VICTORY.

      Report Post » Bronco II  
    • ooshibooboo
      Posted on September 20, 2010 at 3:22pm

      There is going to be a false rapture????

      Report Post »  

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