Cult mom charged with starving toddler

BALTIMORE, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A Baltimore woman starved her 21-month-old son to death when he angered leaders of a religious cult they were living with, prosecutors say.

Ria Ramkissoon, 21, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of her son Javon Thompson, whom authorities say was systematically starved to death when he refused to say "amen" at meals served at the 1 Mind Ministries in West Baltimore, the Baltimore Sun reported Monday.

Police say the cult was led by a woman named Queen Antoinette, who was angered by the boy's actions. They say she hid his body in a suitcase and transported it with the group when it moved to new quarters in Philadelphia, where it was found by detectives, the newspaper said.

Queen Antoinette allegedly told Ramkissoon her son would be raised from the dead.

The Sun said Queen Antoinette, 39, and a 20-year-old man were arrested in May in New York on a warrant charging them with assault in a case unrelated to Javon's death.