An Oklahoma woman allegedly beat her daughter before shoving a crucifix down her throat and posing her dead body in the shape of a cross, police said.
Juanita Gomez, 49, was charged with first-degree murder on Monday, Reuters reports. She claimed her 33-year-old daughter, Geneva Gomez, was possessed by the devil and allegedly punched her repeatedly to “rid Satan from her body,” court records show.
“Juanita stated she punched her daughter repeatedly and forced a crucifix and religious medallion down her throat until blood came out of her daughter’s mouth,” court documents stated, according to the Oklahoman. “Juanita saw her daughter die and then placed the body in the shape of a cross.”
Authorities found Geneva Gomez lying on the floor with her arms extended and her legs straight, the Washington Post reports. A large crucifix was also resting on her chest.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Introducing the 2024 TIME100 Next
- The Reinvention of J.D. Vance
- How to Survive Election Season Without Losing Your Mind
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Scams
- Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?
- The Many Lives of Jack Antonoff
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Why Gut Health Issues Are More Common in Women
Contact us at letters@time.com