Shutterstock
Two Massachusetts women, Peggy LaBossiere and Rachel Hilaire, are facing multiple charges for allegedly burning and permanently disfiguring a 5-year-old girl in a ritual.
The two women who live in East Bridgewater allegedly blew fire over the young girl’s face, also cutting both her arm and collar area with a needle-like object in order to draw blood, as confirmed by the girl’s older brother. Reportedly, the two women are also believed to have poured an unknown substance over the girl’s eyes which caused them to sting. Additionally, the women also threatened to decapitate the brother’s head using a machete.
The ritual was performed on behalf of the girl’s mother, who was reportedly LaBossiere’s hair stylist. According to Brockton Enterprise, East Bridgewater Police Detective John Grillo released the following statement explaining the situation:
″(The mother) stated that her children have been behaving badly due to evil spirits and that they perform prayers, and use certain water and oils to make the demon leave.”
Reportedly, the girl, whose identity has not been revealed to the public, endured third-degree burns and was permanently disfigured. She was treated for her burns at a local hospital and was taken into custody by state welfare authorities with her brother.
Who are Peggy LaBossiere & Rachel Hilaire?
Sources have identified the two women as sisters. Reportedly, the told police that they perform “cleansing baths” for friends and family. According to them, the ritual involving prayers and rubbing oils on a person’s body. Reportedly, they claimed that children are sometimes burned as spirits leave the body.
In late January, the two women both pled not guilty to charges against them, which included mayhem, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a child with injury, indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14 and threatening to commit a crime. They also denied injuring the girl and threatening her brother.
The two will be back in Brockton Superior Court on Wednesday for a further hearing.