Police Say Balch Springs "Prophet" Starved Then Tried to Resurrect Toddler

A woman arrested Monday by Balch Springs police allegedly joined pastors at her church in starving a toddler the group believed to be demon-possessed then tried to resurrect the child in a "raising ceremony" after he died on March 22, according to The Dallas Morning News. Areceli Meza, who served...

By Stephen Young

April 14, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18855504",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17105533",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105532",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105535",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

A woman arrested Monday by Balch Springs police allegedly joined pastors at her church in starving a toddler the group believed to be demon-possessed then tried to resurrect the child in a "raising ceremony" after he died on March 22, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Areceli Meza, who served as the vice president of Iglesia Internacional Jesus es el Rey and claimed to communicate directly with God, is charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child by omission. Police say she and three other suspects withheld food from the toddler for 25 days. When a church member tried to free the boy, she was scolded and forbidden from doing so. After the child was dead, she performed the ceremony because God told her he was going to wake the child up, she told police.

Balch Springs police are still looking for the boy's parents, the department told the DMN and have yet to find his body, which is thought to be in Mexico.

KEEP THE OBSERVER FREE... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.