Religious Runaway

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Story Published: Aug 11, 2009 at 12:48 PM EST

Story Updated: Aug 11, 2009 at 12:48 PM EST

An Ohio teenager who ran away to Orlando, Florida in search of religious freedom said she could die if she is sent home.

Fathima Bary, 17, ran away from home in July after her Muslim parents found out she converted to Christianity.

Bary, a native of Sri Lanka, said she feared for her life, so she boarded a bus to central Florida to find an Orlando family she met through a prayer group on Facebook.

A pastor took in the teenager and reached out to the state for help.

A judge granted the Department of Children and Families custody to keep Bary in temporary foster care.

"Just keep her in your prayers. Keep her protected, and really believe they'll make a decision to keep her here and not send her back to Ohio, that they'll understand her life will be taken if she goes back," Global Revolution Church Rev. Blake Lorenz said.

Another custody hearing is slated for August 21.

 


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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 1:30 PM Georgian wrote ...

Couldn't a lawyer petition a Court for the young lady to be considered an adult? Then the parents would have no claim. In Ohio the legal age used to be 21 so I joined the military to get away from parents.

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