Police 'were monsters who would kill them': Details emerge in Alberta naked kidnapping - Action News
Home WebMail Friday, November 22, 2024, 05:38 PM | Calgary | -11.1°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Edmonton

Police 'were monsters who would kill them': Details emerge in Alberta naked kidnapping

A court document has provided more details in a bizarre naked kidnapping case that happened last year south of Edmonton, but some questions remain.

Group of Jehovah's Witnesses believed Great Tribulation had happened, court document says

New details about the naked kidnapping case were revealed in an agreed statement of facts submitted in court last week. (Dustin Horutko)

They thought it was Armageddon and wanted to savetheir neighbours.

They believed police were monsters. They showed super strengthafter being pepper sprayed and Tasered.

And all but one of them were naked because, with the end of theworld, they didn't have time to get dressed.

A court document has provided more details in a bizarre nakedkidnapping case that happened last year south of Edmonton, but somequestions remain.

Two women and one man, who cannot be identified due to apublication ban, each pleaded guilty in Leduc provincial court lastweek to a charge of unlawful confinement. One of the women alsopleaded guilty to dangerous driving. Her two teenage daughters wereinvolved in the case, but not charged.

No mention of hallucinogenic tea

The girls' father, who was not part of the group, has said thefive may have unknowingly consumed some hallucinogenic tea. But theagreed statement of facts submitted in court says alcohol and drugswere not factors and there is no mention of tea in the document.

The group, who are Jehovah's Witnesses, had gathered at a homenear Leduc on Nov. 2. The mother, who was then 35, had taken herdaughters there to visit her 27-year old nephew and his 30-year oldwife.

But over the next three days, the court document says, they didn'tleave the house and they barely ate. One of the teens recallswatching movies but also hearing screaming and banging and seeingashes in the air. Some of the five hid in a bedroom or a bathroom.

"They did so because they believed that they were in danger,either from bad or wicked people outside or from demons," says thedocument.So they rushed off to findsafety and save a neighbouring family.

"Four who were naked were changing but they had to leave rightaway because it was unsafe, so they left without clothes," thedocument says.

Group chanted 'Jehovah' inside speeding SUV

The mother, the only one dressed, drove them all in a BMW SUV butwas in such a hurry she went through the garage door. When thevehicle headed to the neighbours' home, it apparently bent a metalgate.

The neighbours a man, his adult daughter and her six-week-oldson were forced out of their house and into the snow withoutshoes, the document says. The woman and her baby were put in theback seat with the teen girls, who were naked under a blanket. Theman was put in the trunk and ordered to chant "Jehovah" 10 times.

The group also chanted "Jehovah" as the SUV sped down roads andwent through a red light on the way to nearby Nisku, says thedocument.

Because the trunk didn't latch shut, the man was able to climbout when the vehicle slowed. His daughter, after getting her handslammed in the door of the SUV, was able to get out with her baby. Apassing truck stopped to help the trio and they climbed inside.

The document says the SUV then rammed the truck from behind andthe woman and her baby were thrown into the truck's dash, althoughthey were not injured. The SUV then went into a ditch.

Adults hit with Tasers up to 4 times

When Mounties arrived, the group continued to chant and refusedto get out, at times clinging to the vehicle and each other. One ofthe teens believed the police "were monsters who would kill them,"says the document.

Officers said the people in the SUV "displayed extremestrength." Two were unaffected by pepper spray. The three adults
were also shot with Tasers between two and four times before theyrelented, although one then slid under the vehicle and had to bedragged out with a strap.

The neighbours later told police the group seemed "demonized"and "obviously not in their right minds."

A judge has ordered pre-sentence reports and risk assessments,which could include psychological testing.

The three adult offenders are to return to court for sentencingDec. 20.