Kaling and five of her children, ages 11 to 22, packed up the patriarch’s shoes and bags in preparation for a move.When Kaling opened the bedroom door to retrieve her husband, the sheriff got his first whiff that something was wrong.
Peter’s had decomposed beyond recognition and had attracted rats in the bedroom, though Kaling had sealed the door and air vents to protect her family from the smell.
His two feet protruded from the blankets Kaling had wrapped around him and secured with duct tape, while a cap was placed on his head.
The late Wald suffered from diabetes and had developed an infection in his left foot, but would not go to the doctor, instead relying on God to provide the cure..Kaling said he slipped into a coma in March, but still she slept by his side. When she noticed signs of stomach bloat and rigor mortis days later, she sealed him in the bedroom and the family prayed for him to rise from the dead.
‘It’s an extremely sad case … she truly believed her husband was going to be resurrected from the dead, even after six months,’ assistant crown attorney Janet Booy said.
Kaling’s Christian devotion had ‘tainted and warped her better judgment’ , and the family ‘prayed on a daily basis for Peter to come back to life.’
Superior Court Justice Marjoh Agro gave her a suspended sentence, ordering her to serve 18 months’ probation and seek counseling.
‘Your belief that your husband would resurrect is not an issue,’ ‘This is not about your religious beliefs. It is about your safety, the safety of your children and the safety of the community at large.’
Next-door neighbor Brian Dennis says he saw the family dancing and chanting in the back yard while wearing black robes. He also saw flies at the bedroom window and birds pecking at the screen.
When he and his wife Brenda asked about Peter’s health, Kaling would only respond ‘He’s in God’s hands now.’
