A woman has been charged with manslaughter after a man died during a baptism ceremony in Birmingham.
Robert Smith, 61, from Brixton, south London, drowned during the ceremony, which took place at a home in Slade Road, Erdington, in 2023. The ceremony, which involved a paddling pool in a back garden, was filmed and livestreamed, with a congregation of about a dozen people looking on.
Originally from Jamaica, Smith had been in the UK for at least 25 years. He worked as a barber and was a grandfather to seven grandchildren.
Cheryl Bartley, 48, was charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her role as a pastor during the baptism, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Emergency services were called to the home on 8 October and West Midlands ambulance service sent two vehicles, a paramedic officer and a critical care car from Midlands air ambulance. Medics were unable to save Smith, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Malcolm McHaffie, the head of the special crime division at the CPS, said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings. We have worked closely with West Midlands police as it has carried out its investigation.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that she has the right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Bartley is due to appear at Birmingham magistrates court on Thursday 14 May.
