A Baltimore mother pled guilty Monday to starving her 16-month-old son to death, in a bizarre agreement that asked for charges to be dropped if her son was “resurrected.”
Prosecutors say that Ria Ramkissoon, who they say is a cult member, stopped feeding her child, Javon Thompson, because he didn’t say ‘Amen’ at meals and had a rebellious spirit, reports WBAL-TV. The child died as a result and his body was found in April of last year.
Under her plea agreement, 22-year-old Ramkisson would get 20 years in prison, but a judge would suspend the entire sentence excluding the time that has already been served. She also has to go through deprogramming treatment and serve five years of probation, the station reports.
But in a strange twist, the agreement also included a clause that said the charges would be dropped if her son was resurrected.
"This is something she absolutely insisted upon, and it’s indicative of the fact that she is still brainwashed and still a victim of this cult, and until she’s deprogrammed, she’s not going to think any differently,” said her attorney, Steven Silverman.
Queen Antoinette, the leader of Ramkissoon’s religious group, One Mind Ministries, prayed for the child to be brought back to life, according to court documents. Since the child didn’t come back to life, Ramkissoon pled guilty to child abuse resulting in death and agreed to testify against other members of the organization, who have all been charged with murder, the station reports.
According to her mother, Ramkissoon might still be under the cult’s spell.
“I mentioned to her that when she gets out, I want her to come home, and we can start building back together,” her mother, Seta Khadan-Newton told WBAL-TV. “She said she’s not going backward, she’s moving forward, meaning this family is not her family anymore – she has a new family that she’s going to move forward with … that’s the cult.”
Antoinette also appeared in court Monday, without legal representation; she said God was her lawyer.