8:53am UK, Wednesday August 27, 2003

A church minister has been charged with physical abuse after an eight-year-old autistic boy died when church leaders tried to heal him.

Ray Hemphill, 45, was charged with physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

180 exorcism victim terrance cottrell jr.jpg

Suffocated: Terrance Cottrell Jr

Terrance died of suffocation after he was wrapped in sheets and tied down at a church service in Milwaukee.

The county coroner's office said his chest had been strapped and he had been unable to breathe.

Help was only called after an hour of prayer when a worshipper noticed the boy was not moving.

Terrance's mother had been taking him to church three times a week for the last three years in the hope of curing his autism.

His grandmother claimed force was used but this was disputed by church members.

"We were asking God to take this spirit that was tormenting this little boy to death," said Bishop David Hemphill Sr.

"We were praying that hard - but not to kill."

Terrance's grandmother, Mary Luckett, said he the boy had been restrained.

"They held the boy down, they held him down until ... he went to a smothery grave," she said.

A police investigation into the death continues.