Police: Parents tortured 'witch' child

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Two Swedish parents allegedly tortured a 9-year-old girl, convinced she was a witch, prosecutors said.

The girl lost consciousness after being beaten and kicked by her mother and stepfather as they attempted to exorcise alleged evil spirits, prosecutors said, adding the girl was also forced to drink a mixture of cleaning fluid and her own vomit.

She was also the victim of electrical shocks to the mouth, the local Swedish newspaper Boras Tinding reported.

The alleged attacks took place in 2007 and 2008 but the girl, removed by social service personnel to a foster home, only spoke of the incidents recently, the Swedish news website The Local/TT reported Friday.

The couple, whose names were not reported, deny committing any crimes.

Prosecutor Daniel Larson said, "As far as I know, they still believe she could be a witch."

The case is the second in the past year in which adults have been accused of abusing children in the belief they are witches. In the previous case four adults were acquitted, although an appeal hearing is scheduled for April, the news website said.