Four members of a family have been sentenced to life imprisonment following an investigation into the disappearance and death of a 3-year-old boy from Georgia, whose body was found in a New Mexico compound in 2018, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday.
In 2018, authorities detained five adults and placed 11 children under protective care after uncovering the boy’s remains during a SWAT operation at a dilapidated compound in northern New Mexico. The child, known as Abdul Ghani, had been taken by his father, Siraj Wahhaj, and other relatives who believed he would be resurrected as Jesus Christ.
The family was accused of participating in firearms and tactical training to prepare for potential assaults against governmental entities. The Department of Justice disclosed that the group planned to utilize the child as a symbol in a scheme to eliminate perceived corrupt establishments such as the FBI, CIA, and U.S. military.
Siraj Wahhaj, along with his sisters Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhanah Wahhaj, and Subhanah’s husband Lucas Morton, received life imprisonment without the chance of parole. The fifth defendant, Jany Leveille, a Haitian national, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in accordance with her plea agreement terms.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez stated, “All of the children are all of our children, and loss of any child is a loss to us all,” emphasizing the tragic events that unfolded during the trial, involving radical ideologies and violent extremist beliefs revolving around the deceased child within a fortified compound in rural New Mexico.
Abdul was abducted from his mother in Georgia in December 2017 and taken to a remote property in Amalia, New Mexico, near the Colorado border. Led by Leveille, described as the spiritual leader, the family believed Abdul would rise on Easter, April 1, 2018, to lead them in a violent societal confrontation.
The rural compound, described as heavily fortified and militarized, served as a training ground for the group’s extremist activities. Despite failed resurrection predictions, the group continued to anticipate Abdul’s return, leading to a raid that exposed the dire conditions in which the children were living, along with the tragic discovery of Abdul’s remains.
The sentencing of the family members, months after their conviction in a terrorism-related scheme, marks a significant legal conclusion to a disturbing case that shocked the nation. The defendants’ claims of government bias and religious persecution were refuted during the trial, underscoring the severity of their actions.
Leveille, diagnosed with acute schizophrenia, received a reduced sentence due to her mental health condition and her acceptance of responsibility for her involvement in the conspiracy. The acknowledgment of guilt and apology offered by Leveille were deemed crucial by the court in light of the heinous nature of the crimes committed.
Notable Contributors: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY; The Associated Press