ML2015134 FATAL EXORCISM: ABOUT AN OBSERVATION AT AUTOPSY

SUMMARY

Supernatural beliefs about the causes of epilepsy are prevalent in Tunisian culture. Epileptic manifestations can be taken by healers as signs of demonic possession leading to the practice of exorcism. Our goal is to focus on the dangerousness of some exorcism practices that can be fatal. We report a case of a 15-year-old child with a history of treatment-resistant grand mal epilepsy. The child underwent a ritual exorcism by a healer to chase the evil that was assumed to have possessed him and was responsible for the epileptic manifestations. The child died during the ritual exorcism. The judicial autopsy showed injuries to the face, neck and abdomen. Death was attributed to abdominal trauma associated with strangulation.

Keywords: Exorcism, Violence, Death.