brother, christopher, were viciously beaten during what was called a counseling session late sunday at the word of life church. monday morning, church members found lucas unresponsive and took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. now, police say he was so badly injured, doctors thought at first he had been shot. his brother is still in the hospital in serious condition. four others are under arrest, including the teen s sister. all have pleaded not guilty and are members of this church, described by neighbors as secretive and cult-like. it was founded in the area in the 1990s. and joining me now by phone is new hartford police chief michael inserra. thank you for joining us. thank you. let s talk about the investigation here and i also want to get an update, if you have one, on the condition of the young man still in the hospital, but what can you tell us witnesses say happened in that church? what the investigation has shown so far is that the church
following called the word of life church. two young members were brought to the sanctuary for a counseling session to discuss their spiritual state. 19-year-old lucas leonard and his 17-year-old brother christopher. the session turned physical. both brothers were continually ask for forgiveness. no word on what their alleged sins were but the 19-year-old was beaten so badly, police say members of the church brought him to a hospital where he later died. his 17-year-old brother remains in serious condition. their parents, bruce and deborah leonard, were arrested and charged with first degree manslaughter. both pleaded not guilty. four other church members were also arrested including the brother s sister, sarah ferguson. they also pleaded not guilty. the beatings have prompted questions about the church and
odom still unconscious on life support. his estranged wife khloe kardashi kardashian at his bedside and making decisions for him. police say a teenager was beaten to death by his parents and four other members of the word of life church in upstate new york during a counselling session sunday night. the victim s younger brother also beaten and in the hospital. the authorities say the session was designed to get the teens to confess their sins. neighbors say they always had suspicions about the place. they don t make noise. they don t you don t see them. we know there are people living in there, but you don t know what s going on. they don t come out and talk to you. they are systemic about how they come and go. one person at the door. one person at the gate.
other hospitalized. tonight six people are charged with manslaughter including the boys parents and sister. reporter: it happened in what was supposed to be a house of worship, this former school building in new hartford, new york, now a church with a small following called the word of life church. police say after those sunday services, two young members of the church were brought to the sanctuary for a counseling session to discuss their spiritual state, 19-year-old lucas leonard and his 17-year-old brother christopher. the session turned physical. both brothers were continually subjected to physical punishment over the course of several hours in hopes that each would confess the prior sins and ask for forgiveness. reporter: no word on the sins but the 19-year-old was beaten so badly, police say members of the church brought him to a hospital where he later died. his 17-year-old brother remains in serious condition. their parents, bruce and debra
mysterious death investigation at a church. authorities say two teenage boys were beaten, one killed and other hospitalized. tonight six people are charged with manslaughter including the boys parents and sister. reporter: it was supposed to be a house of worship, this former school building home the a church with a small following called the word of life church. police say after those sunday services, two young members of the church were brought to the sanctuary for a counseling session to discuss their spiritual state, 19-year-old lucas leonard and his 17-year-old brother christopher. the session turned physical. both brothers were continually subjected to physical punishment over the course of several hours in hopes that each would confess the prior sins and ask for forgiv forgiveness. reporter: no word on the sins but the 19-year-old was beaten so badly, police say members of