WDBO Local News

Teenage Christian convert had help getting to Orlando

By
Bob Hazen
@ September 15, 2009 4:14 AM
Permalink | Comments (13)

The FDLE report on the case of a teenage girl who ran away from home fearing an honor killing for converting to Christianity shows local church officials likely had a role in getting her to Orlando.

The report, which was under a 10-day seal that expired Monday, alleges 17-year-old Rifqa Bary misled investigators about most of the details about how she arrived in Florida.

Bary initially claimed she hitchhiked her way to the Greyhound bus station in Columbus, Ohio and used money she had saved up from her job to buy the ticket to Orlando. Instead, investigators say she was driven to the bus station by a young pastor named Brian Williams (read more about him here). He baptized Bary in Columbus but has since moved to Kansas City. And the ticket, they say, was purchased under a fake name by someone in Orlando.

Once here, authorities say she was met by the Law family, apparently leading members of the Global Revolution Church, and taken to the home of the church's Pastor Blake Lorenz. She stayed there for 2-and-a-half weeks before her first hearing in juvenile court that placed her in foster care. The report does not say that the Lorenz family, or the church as a whole, had an explicit role in getting Bary to Orlando.

The Global Revolution Church is now "restructuring," according to reports.

The report also found no evidence to back up claims of abuse or serious threats to Bary.

Bary told investigators her father had punched her while they rode in a car because she had shown embarrassment about wearing an Islamic headscarf. Her father denied that allegation. However, FDLE says it did not investigate that specific incident, or other claims of physical or sexual abuse, because they would have occurred outside Florida's jurisdiction. Ohio authorities told them they had no reports of the abuse.

One widely cited incident was also denied by her father. Rifqa Bary claimed her father grabbed her laptop computer and threatened to hit her with it, while saying, "I will kill you, tell me the truth." But Mohamed Bary told investigators he lifted the computer to throw it, but decided not to because he had spent too much money on it to break it.

The teen also told authorities her teacher had offered to let Bary stay at her house if she needed to get away from repercussions from her family because of her Christian faith. But when the FDLE interviewed that teacher, she told them she offered up her house because Bary's brother was having parties with alcohol at the Bary home when their parents were out of town, and she had never been told about threats of danger to Bary because of her Christian faith.

But the report also provides ammunition for people who say Bary was in danger of an "honor killing." The FDLE says "the Islamic community was not investigated. An investigation into any person, religious, or social organization without a specific identifiable criminal predicate is inappropriate." The investigators also relied on the word of Mohamed Bary and a lawyer for CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) that death is not an acceptable form of punishment for converting from Islam.

Should Rifqa Bary be returned to her parents or stay here?
Return to her parents
Allowed to stay here
Unsure, need more info


Avg. rating: N/A

What others are saying

  • Don't judge modern people by old religious beliefs
    I am a former christian who is now an atheist. By the laws of the bible, I should be put to death as an apostate. Yet I'm not. Similarly, I do not believe that a girl from a modern muslim family will be harmed based on archaic laws of their holy text. If she were living in Saudi Arabia, she might have something to worry about, just as I would probably be in trouble if I were in a more primitive christian society.
  • Seriously Folks
    This gives every Knucklehead kid who wants to get out of their house a blueprint how to do it. Amazing that people will allow this bogus religion excuse pass for allowing a child to bolt a home environment she doesn't want to live there. Send her back.
  • rifqa
    you know if this was a girl complaining about abuse not connected with christianity then it would not even be a issue in the news or a issue with child services. They would just take her out of the home and investigate it like the should. But everyone wants to claim they now anything about this. But did you ask yourself why the parents closed there business right when they found out. Because they planned on killing her and leaving the country. It is amazing how many people get all freaked out and claim we are infringing on the religion well the government and her family are infringing on hers. she is 17 yrs old let her and leave it alone.
  • This is still news?
    Geez, just let her turn 18 already, then none of this would matter since she'd miraculously grow from a child to an adult overnight. All this talk about "returning the child home" would make more sense if she was in fact a 12 yr old child. But she's not. Liar or not, she wants to be emancipated from her family and be on her own, the let her be.
  • If Rifqa goes home, they will send her back to Sri Lanka and she will die. The legal system will be quite embarrassed if they make her go back to her parents and then no one sees her again. Why is it so hard to believe her when cases like this are seen everywhere world wide? I am praying for her. I dont think this young girl would be going through all this trouble, knowing what a dishonor she has caused her family, for nothing.
  • O-H-I-O
    If the old man was pounding on her in OH, that might have been the place to file a police report. It's kind of pathetic that the authorities in FL have to get involved with this when it's obvious the parents were not that strict.
  • The other side of the story might be the . . . "other side"
    Let's hope Gellar's coverage isn't yet another photo added to the gallery of Islamic honor-murder victims at her site, Mr. Barker.
  • Falsehood will perish
    Truth will prevail at the end - these right wing Christian supporters should realize that Christ would have rebuked them for lying in his name.

    Wait, there is more to come.
  • That's great Don. You state the exact talking points of the terrorist supporting front group created for Hamas - CAIR.
  • The Media, while Trying Hard To Discredit a young Convert tells us the Father Confirms A Key Event Indeed Occurred:

    "Mohamed Bary told investigators he lifted the computer to throw it, but decided not to because he had spent too much money on it to break it..."

    Yeah, he didn't want to BREAK something on her head that was so EXPENSIVE...
  • I hope they prosecure the Lorenzs
    Finally the truth is being revealed. This girl is clearly a DRAMA QUEEN and the Lorenzs and other Christian fundamentalists from their church manipulated the situation so they could further their anti-Muslim agenda. I hope they all get prosecuted and the girl is returned home to hre family.
  • And this reveals what?
    This just proves even more that she was terrified to let anyone know... any woman who has been abused or anyone who has studied the issue knows that it takes at least 7 attempts to finally free yourself from such abuse and it is almost always covered up, lied about or disguised. Why people, women in particular, are so venomous toward this poor kid is beyond reason.

    Of course she had help - but guess what. Now those who helped her also become a target for these radicals. Great job exposing those who simply chose to help a young girl escape a death sentence. All the while you ignore the threat and corrupt individuals trying to enforce this madness.
  • That's about what I expected. Can't wait to read the rest.

    I wonder if Pamela Geller will cover this side of the story?
send to a friend  view as printer-friendly  get widgets  RSS feeds
advertisement

Orlando weather

Partly Cloudy
90°F
5-day forecast | Hurricane Guide
View the WDBO weather radar
advertisement

Marketplace

Stop the Radio Tax
Help us defeat a proposed tax that could kill local radio as we know it! Take Action Now!
Nutrition & Health Center
Listen to Dr. Susan’s weekly podcast! Visit the Nutrition and Health Center for the hottest topics in the world of nutrition, recipes, her blog and more!
It's YOUR Home
Learn how to create your ideal living space. After all... It's YOUR Home!
powered by Kudzu From fast food to fine dining, find it all in our Local Business Directory .
powered by AutoTrader.com Shop for cars, find a dealer, and get the latest automotive news in our Local Car Buying Guide powered by AutoTrader.com
advertisement
Travel
Need to get away or planning a vacation? Let us, and our partners at Travel Channel, help. Click here to find out more.
Stay ahead of the storm. Find evacuation routes, safety tips and more in the Hurricane Guide.
Ask the Experts
Get information and professional advice in many categories, from health to home improvement! Ask the Experts!
Go Green Orlando
AM580 WDBO encourages you to help the environment and Go Green! Use our tips!
Don't miss your favorite TV shows! Click to get the latest WFTV Channel 9 programming schedule.
WDBO.com
Listen Live to Central Florida's Breaking News, Severe Weather and Traffic Online, AM580 WDBO. www.wdbo.com