The tragic and disturbing death of a 7-year-old girl in Temanggung regency, Central Java shocked Indonesians this week, after reports surfaced that her parents were heavily implicated in her murder, as they believed she was possessed by a supernatural being.
A Facebook post that recounted the death of the girl, identified by her initials AL, recently made its rounds online. The post recounts how AL’s aunt asked about her whereabouts during Eid last week to her grandfather, who responded that his granddaughter hasn’t visited him in the past four months because she was sick. They then decided to go visit AL in Bejen village on Sunday, where they discovered the little girl’s decomposing body at home.
AL’s parents, father M and mother S, admitted to subjecting her to an exorcism ritual because she was being “naughty.” Their neighbors, identified as H and B, reportedly led them to believe that their misbehaving daughter was possessed by a genderuwo (a monstrous, hairy ape-like spirit creature).
H and B were the ones who allegedly performed the ritual, during which they submerged AL in water several times until she drowned. The girl’s body was then laid on a bed, as they told the parents that she might wake up one day.
AL’s aunt and grandfather reported the incident to the village chief, who went to the authorities. Temanggung Police are now questioning the four people involved after arresting them yesterday, along with a number of witnesses. AL’s body is also undergoing an autopsy, according to reports.
“Our initial suspicion is due to the persuasion of H, that he was an indigo or a shaman in their village. B was the one who saw their daughter, who they said was naughty, and said that she had an influence from the supernatural realm,” Temanggung Police Chief Benny Setyowadi said today.
While Benny has yet to confirm if AL died four months ago, he said her body was dry and decomposed, with only her skin and bones remaining.
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