BY ONZ CHÉRY
PORT-AU-PRINCE ― The death of an 8-year-old internet singing sensation, allegedly tied to a Vodou spell, has caused a split between her family and the guardian with whom she lived with as a budding artist. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the passing of Love Dalanchika Malbranche, better known as Negès Da, has also left her fans and followers in an uproar over her religion, lack of healthcare and Haiti itself.
Love died Jan. 23 in Fond-des-Blancs, a commune in the Southern Department, days after she first became ill. Her family has filed a complaint against her guardian Martine Phebé because Love became ill after allegedly being the target of a Vodou spell at Phebé’s home. Phebé, meanwhile, said in a Facebook video, it’s the family who owe an explanation for the child’s death.
“The justice system is going to decide what to do,” her mother Germanie Cadet said. “Me, I can’t say anything about this anymore.”
Love rose to fame in May 2021 after Phebé posted a video of her singing for Mother’s Day on Facebook. Phebé, who acts as a talent scout, heads Thòy’Art, a group that teaches children how to sing and about Haiti’s culture, including Vodou.
Love’s family allowed her to join the group in 2019 and to move in with Phebé, who provides housing to some of the children, at her Port-au-Prince home. Love became the star of Thòy’Art, often singing songs about Vodou and its lwa.
Love’s family practices Vodou, her mother said. However, critics of Vodou heavily blamed Phebé for influencing the child, saying the religion has an evil side.
Mysterious illness appears
Cadet said in a media interview that Love caught a fever in early January. When the illness worsened, Phebé sent the girl back to her family at their home outside of Port-au-Prince. While there, Phebé said, Love’s neck broke, though she did not offer details.
Love’s family, however, said she was already severely ill when she arrived. She had lost her speech, her body shook constantly and her tongue protruded from her mouth. Love also had what appear to be beating marks on her buttocks and face from her time at Phebé’s home.
Nevertheless, the family brought Love to a local health facility, where they put her on IV fluid, but the family came up with the conclusion that the illness couldn’t be treated at a hospital.
Desperate, the family and Phebé then brought Love to a Vodou priest for treatment. The priest asked for 105,000 gourdes, about USD $1,020.
Phebé was reluctant to pay the priest, thinking the family was tricking her, she said. So, Phebé decided to try another spell, but the family refused. Love died at the Vodou priest’s home in Fond-des-Blancs.
Love would have turned nine on Jan. 29.
“I told them ‘How are you guys so evil? The child came from you guys,’” Phebé said she told the family in a phone conversation. “Today, you don’t know what you lost but in three months, four months, you will understand.”
The family is also suing Martine Phebé, the guardian, for allegedly sending two men to attack the child’s uncle and father with machetes at their Port-au-Prince home. Love’s uncle suffered a minor injury to the head.
Furor over death, religion
Love’s death has elicited strong reactions from saddened fans and followers and many Haitians who had not heard of her. On various social media platforms, many blame the death on her religion, while some put the blame on Haiti’s lack of healthcare, opportunities and basic necessities. Still, others have criticized the family and Phebé for thrusting the girl in the limelight to make money off her singing.
“For views on YouTube, the children lost her life.” Manbo 6 mile homes, a Vodou priestess, said in a video. “Listen people, don’t send money to this woman called Thòy’Art, she’s the reason why the child died.”
“That lady is really evil, she let the spirit kill you [Love],” Samuel Joinville commented on Facebook. “Women messing with evil spirits are dirty, without understanding. Jesus will come back.”
“The people who are saying ‘Why didn’t she [Phebé] bring her to the doctor?,’” Amilia Conzalez commented on Facebook. “Since when do you guys believe in doctors like that? How many of you guys had a fever and went to the doctor?”
