Woman charged with molesting girl during witchcraft rituals

[Dria El]

I think I'm going to be sick... :(

Woman charged with molesting girl during witchcraft rituals
Filed: 06/19/2001

By STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writer e-mail: sswenson@bakersfield.com


A 26-year-old Bakersfield woman is set for hearings in July on charges that she molested a 17-year-old girl during witchcraft rituals.

The defendant, Maria Decarmen Juar Negrete, also known as Carmen Puga, has denied any such molestation, but she acknowledged she took a videotape of the girl who at times was nude or wore just underwear, Kern County sheriff's reports say.

Deputies seized a videotape in which the girl is so clad, and the person operating the camera is giving the girl instructions to undress, change underwear and pose in certain positions, the reports say.

A hand, apparently from the camera operator, is seen touching the girl in her genital area, the reports say.

Negrete was in court last week when a judge, at the request of the defense, appointed a doctor to provide a confidential report on Negrete's mental state.

That report must be completed by a July 10 status hearing in Kern County Superior Court. A preliminary hearing on the charges -- lewd touching and child pornography -- is scheduled for July 11.

The girl first told a school counselor in March in the Los Angeles area where she now lives, but she said the rituals occurred in 1998 through last year, the reports say.

Negrete described herself as dabbling in "brujeria," Spanish for witchcraft, according to the girl and the girl's mother, the reports say.

The rituals -- four of them described by the girl -- reportedly occurred in a bedroom when Negrete was alone with the girl, and the girl said the purpose of the rituals was for Negrete to spiritually cleanse her, the reports say.

The rituals included being lightly touched with leaves, and rubbed with an egg and a liquid, the reports say.

Some events described by the girl were corroborated by other witnesses. Those events were not sexual in nature but occurred after encounters the girl had with Negrete, the reports say.

For example, the girl got sick after one meeting with Negrete and a woman who picked her up afterward recalls the girl being sick.

The girl told investigators she has been molested by other people -- two uncles when she was 5 to 11 years old, and a friend of her father's in Oregon when she was 14 years old.

No charges were filed in any of those cases.

Negrete, who is represented by attorney Dean Miller of Bakersfield, remains in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. She was arrested last month in the 700 block of Jeffrey Street.

Click for story (http://www.bakersfield.com/local/Story/508270p-505523c.html)

[MammaStar]

Sounds a bit suspicious to me, actually. I mean, don't get me wrong, I AM ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO ANYONE HURTING A CHILD. However, as you read on, you see the girl claims to have been molested before. Again, I don't think every single claim is false, but there are times when a person makes such an accusation and it turns out to be not true. This I speak from experience. Someone made just such an accusation about my son to DSS. I went crazy! The person who called in the complaint, was a selfish, jealous woman, who could not handle a friend of hers being friends with someone else. Yes, that was her motivation behind it, and she chose to seek revenge by using MY CHILD. My friend, who the compliant was filed against, had at that time, never met my son let alone do anything to him. Luckily, for me, that once the DSS worker met us and my son, realized that it was a false claim. My sharing that, I wanted to prove my point about the girl making this accusation. And because the woman who was arrested claimed she "dabbles" in witchcraft, they are going to blow this whole darn thing out of proportion. Again, we as Pagans/Witches are discriminated against because our path isn't like everyone else's. Where are the laws that protect us? Do all the discriminatory laws apply to everyone else, but Pagans? Just aggravates the living s**t out of me! :bad:

[Spirahl]

I do not know anything about bujeria. Perhaps it could be witchery without any belief in a code of conduct such as the Wiccan Rede or Asatru Code of Nine etc. Still, such codes of conduct are only an ideal. People do fall- and they fall no matter what religion/faith/path they follow. Of course I'll assume she's innocent until I learn more.
If it is yet another case of people jumping to conclusions because the "W" word was used...I will be justifiably upset and angry.

[Lilu]

I have to agree with you starlite, it is suspicious that the girl would complain about one instance, yet do nothing about it when it was happening in the past? I'm not saying it did or didn't happen, just that it sounds suspicious. However, if it's all there on tape, then it should be an open and shut case.

It's really sad how far people will go when they're mad. My aunt's brother-in-law was accused of sexually molesting his son by his ex-girlfriend and her mother because he filed for custody. His ex and her mother are seriously screwed up people mentally, and it was a completely false claim, but because of it, he ended up on supervised visits. Funny how there is never any proof in false molestation and child abuse claims. All it takes is for someone to tell a lie.

Lilu

[eaglewolf]

People often become enraged when the media seemingly singles out "Witches" or blindly adds the "witch" label to certain events.

However, information on witchcraft, Wicca, among others, is so readily available (something which often saddens me)... anyone can do a little research and call themselves a "witch" and quite convincingly so.

Why is it so far fetched for the media to attach the label when those being accused could very well be involved in "witchcraft" or "Wicca?" It is soooo easy to learn enough about any craft to make it seem realistic.

Perhaps the media is not always to blame, perhaps these people really are involved. Is that so hard to believe? Perhaps this in not the topic of this thread, perhaps it is simply a "sad story," but I often hear Pagans blame the media for fabrication. In fact, the information may be less false than we think.

For many years, this was the main objective of "craft" based paths. Keeping information away from the public, avoiding incidents which would harm our way of life... the world is full of people who would like nothing more than to "tarnish the record" of others. I have said this before... it is not the media I am worried about... it is us.

~ew

[Walach]

I also against child pornography and the such. But it's also the same with custody of children after a divorce the mother nearly always gets the child even if she's a drug adict or an alcoholic. There is something strange in this world were a woman that does something sexually wrong is thought harshly upon but if it's a man they have to be put to death or 50 years in jail? Why is it such sexism?

[Mariposa De La Luna]

This "witch" in the article was a scam artist. She did use some elements of "brujeria" in my very limited knowledge. Brujeria literally translate to witchcraft in English but it is not Wicca but a Mexican or Hispanic folk magick type system that is mixed with Catholicsm in most cases. I'm not too knowledgable but it is the folk magic of my people. I don't know what the lady was doing but a perfumed egg is often used and the only liquids i know of are holy water and olive oil. The child, if you can call a 17 yr old a child, says she was getting spiritually cleansed. Well these scam artists tell people they have some evil about them and normally take money to remove this evil. it seems this particular person was more interested in other, less noticable things. It happens all the time. This is not about witchcraft but about a scam. This girl probably finally figured out she was being scammed after the 4th time and finally took it to the cops.

Unfortunately with the shrub in office, I'm not surprised they played up the witchcraft part instead of presenting this as a scam.

[stresspickle]

Where are this girls' parents!?! If this had happened in the past, her parents should have taken all precautions to not let it happen again. Many people have suspesons as to whether this is true or false, but what matters is the motives behind the accusations. If the molestations never happened, why would she strive so hard for attention? Where else is she supposed to get attention of that high magnitude? If it is true, why is this always finding her? Is she subconsciously seeking that kind of attention out? You know, she could have Autophobia, we will never know unless her parents take the responsibility and get her help. Somewhere in this story she is searching for attention, good or bad, and unfortunatly she's getting it.

[Wyrdsister]

Originally posted by eaglewolf
However, information on witchcraft, Wicca, among others, is so readily available (something which often saddens me)... anyone can do a little research and call themselves a "witch" and quite convincingly so.

So too can individuals do very little research and convincingly call themselves a Christian. *sigh*

Wyrdsister
who digresses from the topic at hand ;)

[Wyrdsister]

Originally posted by Walach
I also against child pornography and the such. But it's also the same with custody of children after a divorce the mother nearly always gets the child even if she's a drug adict or an alcoholic. There is something strange in this world were a woman that does something sexually wrong is thought harshly upon but if it's a man they have to be put to death or 50 years in jail? Why is it such sexism?
Oh, this is a WHOLE other topic, my friend! :/

Wyrdsister
(who really shouldn't accuse anyone of going off topic as her previous post certainly did. ;))

[Greenthumb]

If the accused had been a baptist minister, or a catholic priest, you can bet your buttons that the media would have been just as fast to jump on the "bad light" train. Infact, the big bible guys are probably doing back flips that it was somebody else this time around.

just my impulsive almost-but not quite- off topic thought

greenthumb

[gunner]

i think sahm has a point here, she describes la brujeria accurately and while there are sincere practicioners it is too well known to be beset with swindlers and charlatans taking advantage of poor and poorly educated people. the description sounds like the "purifications" i've heard of and likely at some point money would have been demanded but i think that was more the object than any "sexual" interest in this girl.

[sherry]

I can't believe that three other times she was molested and nothing done about it!! This girl has issues she is either not telling the truth or is willing to stay a victim. While I do not think video cameras are intended for rituals, WHY would an adult use one with a child, this is really sick anyway you look at it!!

[Jazzmine]

This is really sick. But the fact that there was a video camera and that she did touch her pretty much makes her guilty. Witch or not, no one should touch someone in their private area unless they are a consenting adult. Plain and simple.

[gunner]

" no one should touch someone in their private area unless they are a consenting adult. Plain and simple."

absolutely!

[EasternPriest]

Originally posted by SAHM

Unfortunately with the shrub in office, I'm not surprised they played up the witchcraft part instead of presenting this as a scam.

What does Bush have to do with an arrest made in California????

[Kat BrightSong]

Hi, um i agree with you all that this is terrible and if this girl is a fake she has a lot to answer for, for making our religion look bad.
But the real reason i posted here (can you tell i'm new?!) was, i was wondering what this - ~ faire voile en Levant ~ meant. Someone, sorry i forgot your name, has it under their name like a signature. what does it mean? How do you pronounce it?
Love Kat
Am i making sense?!

[Kat BrightSong]

Ok, more questions! What does "Neophyte" mean under my name when i post? Thanks!
Love Kat

[gunner]

it just means you're a newcomer here, as you post more you'll see it change. as i've been told it was borrowed from the rank system of the "order of the golden dawn" but it has no esoteric meaning here. later, when you post enough messages you'll get to choose a signature line of your own choice as well as an avatar. by the way, welcome aboard.

(perhaps someone can explain this to kat in detail better than i have?)

[Dria El]

Welcome to Mystic Wicks Kat BrightSong!!! I'm glad to see you found us ok!

:)

[Wyrdsister]

Has anyone heard more about this case? Just curious as to how this is playing out.

Wyrdsister

[Kat BrightSong]

Thanks! Your explanation did make sense! Guess I'll just have to start posting more!
Love Kat

[gunner]

gopherit kat, welcome to the b & s, the more the merrier.

[ObsessedFae86]

Ugh...I hate crap like that..gives the true witches bad names..as if we don't have it hard enough..living in a christian world(mainly)..they add to it by doing crazy immoral things in the name of wicca(brugeria or however its spelled means witchcraft in spanish so..ya)..this sucks..im..mad..