ORANGE COUNTY, FL – A Florida deputy is out of a job and now facing child abuse charges after performing an exorcism on his child and arming another with a gun and a kevlar helmet, instructing the child to shoot anyone that came into his home.
Christopher Dougherty, 37, of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department was at home when a 911 call was made about a residential alarm going off at a home. According to arrest records, Dougherty had performed an exorcism on one of his kids and responding officers found a second child in their bedroom ready to shoot anyone who entered. Doughtery was taken to a hospital under Florida’s Baker Act and was arrested upon his release. Earlier that day, Dougherty lost his job at the department where he worked since 2006.
“While this deputy was terminated for a pattern of unsatisfactory performance, these are very serious criminal allegations,” Sheriff John Mina said, “As law enforcement officers, we are held to the highest standards of conduct whether on duty or off duty. But we are also concerned about the deputy’s mental health.”