Sisters Tortured Children In Sickening 'Voodoo Ritual': Report

EAST BRIDGEWATER, MA — Two East Bridgewater sisters are accused of performing a sickening voodoo ritual that involved torturing an 8-year-old boy and burning a 5-year-old girl to the point of disfigurement.

The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office confirmed to Patch that Rachel Hilaire, 40, and Peggy LaBossiere, 51, were charged with threat to commit a crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a child with injury, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and mayhem. The children have been taken into custody by the Department of Children and Family.

Editor's note: Some of the following accusations are disturbing. For more details, visit the outlets linked below.

The Boston Globe cited legal records detailing a horrifying account of the sisters trying to cleanse the children from evil spirits that were making them misbehave. The girl had a large burn across her face that led to permanent disfigurement, a doctor said in one of the filings. One of the sisters allegedly blew fire from a burning stick onto her face.

The ritual was allegedly done at the children's mother's request, The Brockton Enterprise reported. It reportedly including the women threatening to cut off the boy's head with a machete.

The sisters reportedly admitted to giving the children a "cleansing bath" to oust evil spirits, but denied some of the details of the accusations.

Charges have not been filed against the mother, who is reportedly undergoing mental health treatment.

A dangerousness hearing for Hilaire and LaBossiere has been continued to Wednesday.

This story will be updated.

Photo credit: Shutterstock