This page preserves a selection of older media reports concerning claims of demonic possession, deliverance ministry and exorcism. The accounts are presented as historical reporting, not as confirmation that supernatural explanations are true. They also show why consent, child protection and access to mental-health care matter when spiritual interpretations are applied to distress or unusual behaviour.
Reading and safety note
Some archived cases involve serious injury or death. They are summarized briefly and without graphic detail. No spiritual ritual should replace emergency assistance, medical assessment, psychological care or safeguarding procedures. If someone may be in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Recent events in the archive
2000 · United States · A book linking computers with possession
An independently published book argued that computers could become vehicles for evil influence and attributed harmful online behaviour to spiritual causes. The claims were presented as the author's religious interpretation rather than established evidence. This item illustrates how technological anxiety can be expressed through older theological language.
2005 · United Kingdom · Abuse during an alleged exorcism
Media reports described criminal charges involving members of a church who believed a child was under supernatural influence. The reported acts caused serious harm. The case remains a reminder that religious conviction does not excuse violence, coercion or the failure to protect a child.
2005 · Romania · Death during a convent ritual
A young woman died after being restrained during a ritual that church members understood as an exorcism. Reports stated that she had experienced serious mental-health difficulties. The criminal proceedings drew international attention to the boundary between religious practice, unlawful confinement and duty of care.
2005–2006 · United States · Public attention to deliverance ministries
Television reports examined ministers who conducted public deliverance sessions and described large numbers of alleged exorcisms. Supporters framed the work as pastoral ministry, while critics raised concerns about suggestion, financial pressure and the interpretation of mental-health symptoms.
2014 · Maryland · Children harmed during an attempted exorcism
Police reported that two adults had attempted a ritual involving children and that several children were killed or seriously injured. The case led to murder and attempted-murder charges. It is included here solely as a safeguarding record: beliefs about spirits must never be used to justify violence or prevent children from receiving protection and care.
2018 · Ireland and Italy · Calls for more trained exorcists
Reports from Catholic settings described increased requests for help with alleged possession and calls for additional priestly training. The same reporting also noted that many presented cases were understood within the Church as medical or psychological problems rather than possession. These accounts demonstrate variation within a single religious tradition and the continuing importance of careful assessment.
What this archive can—and cannot—show
News reports document claims, institutional responses and legal outcomes; they do not independently establish a supernatural cause. Terminology also changes between communities. “Possession,” “oppression,” “deliverance” and “exorcism” may refer to different beliefs and practices, so readers should ask who is using a term and what safeguards are in place.
A respectful approach can hold two ideas together: religious communities may interpret suffering through spiritual frameworks, and people experiencing distress still deserve evidence-based healthcare, autonomy and protection from abuse. Careful comparison is more useful than ridicule or automatic endorsement.
References used in the original archive
The original page cited contemporary news reports and commentary. Links below are retained as historical references; availability and accuracy of archived reporting may have changed.
- Richard Harter's World, “Demons in your computer,” 1 May 2000.
- Wittenburg Door, report on Bob Larson, September 2005.
- ReligionNewsBlog, “Exorcisms become big business in Arizona,” 27 November 2006.
- New York Daily News, report on the Maryland case, January 2014.
- The Washington Post, report on the Maryland case, January 2014.
- Catholic Online, report on calls for more Irish exorcists, January 2018.
- Catholic News Agency, report on exorcist training in Italy, February 2018.
Archive note: This page was originally compiled from reports published between 2000 and 2018. It is maintained as historical educational material and does not present the archived claims as current events.