Page 33 - 201004 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - April 2010

April 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 22/04/2010 11:27 PM Page 33 Police investigate apparent Santeria curse 33 Bridgeport police 2 sought for allegedly taking investigate apparent $62,000 in ‘cursed money’ in Santeria curse psychic healing scam CTpost.com Warrants issued for arrest of woman, daughter BRIDGEPORT -- In the latest of several By Matthew Walberg, Tribune reporter incidents of apparent occult practice in the city, police are investigating what they believe was a When she saw the "for rent" sign in the Far Santeria curse against a Derby man -- in the Northwest Side home, a Park Ridge woman form of dead, headless roosters and other realized the mother-daughter team of self- animal parts. described psychic healers had not taken her Stuffed with some kind of root and sewn money to cleanse it of evil spirits — they stole up, the two beheaded roosters were found last it. week, hanging by their feet about 10 feet up Laura Santini, 61, and her daughter, from a tree near the intersection of Housatonic Rosann, 35, were indicted this week in Cook Avenue and Grand Street, according to police County on felony theft charges for allegedly and paranormal investigators. scamming the woman of $62,000. The two At the base of the tree was a bag Myers declined to comment on whether haven't been seen in more than a year, containing a black knit cap and a box cutter, and there is a criminal element to the apparent curse, authorities said. nearby there were three coconut halves in a saying that such cases, in general, can be tricky "They basically were able to convince semi-circle, an apparent sheep's jawbone and a because people have a legal right to freely the victim that some money she had gotten was snakeskin, said Nicole Hall, a paranormal practice the religion of their choice. cursed money and that somehow that curse had investigator with CT Soul Seekers Paranormal "You have that fine line," he said. transferred to other money that she had," said Investigations. "When does it become animal cruelty? When Chicago police Detective Milorad Sofrenovic of Animal control was notified on does it become harassment? You have to really, the Grand Central area. "They told her that in Wednesday, and a patrol officer was later called really watch that line. People have order to be able to remove this curse, they to the scene. Constitutional rights for a purpose." needed to take this money physically to a shrine The matter is still under investigation Due to the apparent increase in occult in Indiana and with prayers drive the curse from and no charges have been filed, said Sgt. James activity in Bridgeport, Myers is advocating for the money." Myers, who is also a paranormal investigator. city police training in occult identification so The alleged scam began in early 2007 Preliminarily, it appears the curse was officers "know what they're actually looking at when a flurry of fliers began peppering car linked to a dispute between a man who works when they go out into the field." windshields on the Far Northwest Side and near the spot where the roosters were found and Hall said the man's wife told her she'd nearby suburbs. his ex-girlfriend, according to Hall, who visited found other evidence of possible curses around "One does not live without problems the scene and talked to the man's wife. their home and "in the past few months or so, such as love, health, marriage and business," the The disputing pair was due to appear in they've had nothing but bad luck." flier read. "Why endure them when a gifted court soon because the man recently discovered She said the couple has renewed their psychic can help you with whatever your that the teenage son he'd been supporting all of attendance at a Catholic church and asked that problem may be?" his life wasn't his and is suing for back child their house be blessed by a priest. It was enough to entice the woman. support, Hall said. "That's the best thing they can do," she Recent troubles had left her looking for help, so The ex-girlfriend apparently set up the said, adding that she believes people can protect she began meeting with the two women at their curse with offerings to a Santerian god and themselves against spiritual curses through their home in the 8400 block of West Castleisland symbols related to money, as well as negative own beliefs. Avenue. wishes toward the man. She called to inform Marci Fernino, a sensitive with CT Soul As the meetings continued, they him of it early last week, Hall said. Seekers, said the man "doesn't want to put any gathered information about the woman — Reached at home Wednesday evening, belief in" the curse, and went as far as to assert including details about a large sum of money the man, whose name was withheld to protect that "Somebody can't curse you if you don't she had recently received. That's when they his privacy, declined comment. believe in it and your faith is strong enough and allegedly told her they needed to cleanse her In the past year, the city has seen an you don't let that happen." money, Sofrenovic said. upswing in incidents involving occult activity, There is an element of mind-over-matter The woman initially resisted, Sofrenovic Myers said, noting numerous times he's gone to in such cases, Myers said, but "it really doesn't said, "but they kept pressuring her to the point city homes and noticed symbolism related to matter if the person believes or doesn't believe." that they were telling her that a number of Voodoo and Santeria, a Caribbean religion that Some people don't believe in horrible things were going to happen to her and combines elements of West African Yoruba and paranormal or occult activity, he said, but their her family if she didn't comply." Roman Catholicism. opinions don't determine whether it is real: Eventually, the woman handed over the Last June, officers found a human skull, "There are things beyond us that we can't money, according to Sofrenovic. And despite a beheaded chicken, chickens' blood and other explain; it doesn't mean they're not there." increasingly forceful demands from the woman animal parts in a Madison Avenue basement Even so, he said the curse was directed over many months, the money was never during a drug raid. The next month, there were toward a specific goal and should not cause returned. The woman realized she'd been had two human skulls in a circular blanket of loose alarm to the general public when she saw the for-rent sign at their home. dirt and bloody papers with names on them at THE OFFICIAL "The victim is an educated, intelligent, Mountain Grove Cemetery. And just days later, professional person who had a moment of the body of a 2-year-old girl stolen from her INVESTIGATION weakness," Sofrenovic said. Stamford grave showed up in a New Jersey AGENCY Police urged anyone with information to river with chicken bones nearby. call detectives at 312-746-8362. Police believed all three incidents may for have involved Santeria or similar religious The ‘X’ Zone Radio & TV THE ‘X’ ZONE RADIO & TV SHOW rituals, but weren't connected. Heard Around The World A police report indicates that the ex- Show Is AM / FM Radio, Satellite, Cable, Television, girlfriend, who lives in Bridgeport, may also Internet Audio / Video Streaming have been involved in the Mountain Grove www.worldfind.biz www.xzoneradiotv.com ritual.