Minister of church in baptism ceremony 'drowning' says man 'danced with Jesus'
Poignant footage shows the emotional address of the church minister following the "drowning" of a man at a baptism ceremony.
Cheryl Reid-Bartley, the founder of the Life Changing Ministries, spoke in a Facebook Live one day after the death of Robert Yap, a man in his 60s, at a private address near Stockland Green Methodist Church in Erdington, Birmingham.
In a 54-minute video on Life Changing Ministries' public Facebook page, the church minister fights her tears as she celebrates the man's life. She says Mr Yap had caught a "glimpse of heaven" and "didn’t want to come back, he just passed on".
Cheryl Reid-Bartley addressed her congregation in a Facebook Live video
The church minister paid tribute to Robert Yap (Life Changing Ministries/facebook)Ms Reid-Bartley adds: "This man wanted to secure his place in heaven. The Lord had a conversation. You know how a baptism goes okay... You know how it goes, that many people get a glimpse of heaven... You know, some come up and they see God Himself. They see the father. He (Mr Yap) had a glimpse of heaven... This man wanted to secure salvation."
She later says: "I was taken to heaven instantly to see Robert Yap... He's young, he's dancing with Jesus in the garden." The video has been watched more than 24,000 times, although the Facebook page on which it was posted only has 12,000 followers.
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Ms Reid-Bartley ends her lengthy address by sharing her appreciation to her flock, and expressing her love to it. She says she intends to fast for three days in respect to Mr Yap, who is believed to have travelled 300 miles to Birmingham for the special ceremony. It is understood he had Parkinson's disease.
Stockland Green Methodist Church is in Erdington, Birmingham (Google Maps)The private baptism was live-streamed on Facebook, in a video which has since been removed. It is believed whoever was conducting the baptism lowered Mr Yap's head backwards into a raised pool in the back garden of a private property. However, West Midlands Police told Mirror today further tests are being carried out to establish a definitive cause of death and a post-mortem examination has been conducted.
Paramedics were called and found a man in need of aid at around 1.40pm, around 24 hours before Ms Reid-Bartley made her address on Facebook. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 1.42pm on Sunday to a medical emergency at a private address on Slade Road in Stockland Green, Birmingham. Upon arrival we found a man.
"Ambulance staff administered advanced life support to him but unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased at the scene." Mirror has contacted the force for more details.
Speaking today, a West Midlands Police spokesperson told Mirror: "A post mortem examination has been conducted and further tests are being carried out to establish a definitive cause of death." Officers continue to investigate the death.
In its original statement, the force said: "A woman has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a man in his 60s died in Erdington on Sunday. A post-mortem examination will be carried out in due course to establish the cause of the man’s death, while detectives carry out enquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death. A 46-year-old woman who was arrested in Birmingham yesterday has been released on police bail while enquiries continue."
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