A BOY has died after members of a religious sect – including his own parents – held him down and whipped him, Russian cops say.

Known only as David K, nine, it's alleged the boy was found with a gag stuffed in his mouth near a lake in the Yugo-Zapadny district of Yekaterinburg, Russia and had died from a lack of oxygen.

Members from the Disciples of Jesus Christ sect allegedly beat the boy to "drive out the demons."

It is claimed the boy's own mum held him down while his dad helped sect members to whip him.

A postmortem revealed that the boy's body was found covered in welts.

Disciples of Jesus Christ members stayed with the boy for two days after the savage "exorcism" while he lay, gagged and in agony.

It is claimed they were praying to "resurrect" him in this time.

But little David K's body eventually succumbed and members scrambled to dump te nine-year-old in the woods.

Police were alerted by David's concerned aunt.

A number of members of the sect, including David's parents and the leader of the group, Zemfira Gainullina, have been detained by police.

The boy's mum is reported to have fled to neighbouring Belarus, with Russia seeking her extradition.

In a bizarre twist, the sect's leader posted a cryptic message to social media shortly before she was arrested in connection with David's death.

She wrote: "Many times we were persecuted for the name of Jesus Christ, but no-one could blame us for anything, because there was no crime in us.

"No-one could forbid us to live the way the Lord Jesus Christ leads us."

Dr Alexander Neveev, an expert on religious cults in Russia, said: "In this sect it was believed that sinfulness should be beaten out of children.

"It was necessary to fight the devil.

"When punishing a child, you should not pay attention to his or her suffering, because in hell, he or she will suffer even more.

"Of course, a person whose head is filled with such nonsense is simply not able to understand that a child should not be hurt."

<div>

</div>

Source: Read Full Article