Man charged with attempted murder of his wife and children claims he was trying to baptize them in the bathtub

Yet another case of someone charged with a crime after God supposedly told him to do it. The accused uses a Maxwell Smart defense--"Would you believe...? As they used to say on Get Smart, "I find that very hard to believe." Every baptism I've seen including my own, has involved quickly dipping people in the water and bringing them out in just a few seconds. As reported by Jatara McGee of the Huntington, West Virginia television station WSAZ, June 21, 2018:

LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A dad is accused of trying to drown his family, according to the Logan County Sheriff's Department.

Leslie Kelly, 36, was charged with three counts of attempted murder, two counts of child abuse creating risk of serious injury, and three counts of domestic battery.

Deputies responded to a call just after 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Orchard Branch Road near Chapmanville.

A woman called 911 and said her husband, Kelly, was trying to drown her and her two children.

Deputies say the kids are 3 and 6 years old.

Officers got on scene and found the wife outside of the home. She told deputies that her husband was still inside.

According to sheriff's deputies, the wife and two children were soaking wet and the kids were crying.

Deputies found Kelly inside the home and the husband allegedly confessed to the crime, telling officers, "I know what I've done" and "I'm ready."

Deputy Barry Mynes Jr. with the Logan County Sheriff's Office says Kelly repeatedly told him he was trying to send his children to heaven.

"And to me, that gave me the impression that he was just wanting to hold them under until they would go to heaven," Mynes says.

"We said were they not crying and screaming, trying to get away from you? He said 'yeah they were, but I was just holding them under water, trying to baptize them, because I want them to go to heaven ' " Mynes says. "He made remarks that God told him to do that. I have a close relationship with Jesus Christ and there's no doubt in my mind that is false what he said."

Kelly told investigators he dragged his wife and children into the bathroom and held them under water in the bathtub to "baptize" them. Kelly also admitted the kids were kicking and screaming as he did this.

Investigators say there was evidence of a struggle throughout the home with "puddles of water and clothing leading from the bathroom into the living room."

Deputies arrested Kelly and took him to the sheriff's department. He was arraigned Wednesday evening; his bond was set at $100,000 bond (10 percent.)

HT: WHM