A North Carolina man is looking for answers after his mother mysteriously died during a Vodou spiritual retreat in Haiti. In an interview with WCNC Charlotte, Timothy Jackson said he initially did not like the idea of his mother Dana Jackson traveling to the volatile Caribbean nation, adding that his mother was, however, keen.
Timothy said his mother was scheduled to return home on July 26 after traveling to Haiti on July 1. But that was not the case. Prior to going on the trip, Dana had been doing research on Vodou practices for four years and ultimately decided to get more involved in it by becoming a priestess. She then went for a retreat in Haiti.
And though the Caribbean nation’s volatile political situation made Timothy worry about his mother’s safety, the pair agreed to be in contact whenever they could. “We talked and [she] told me she was fine once they got there … we would talk once a day or even more,” Timothy said.
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Their communication, however, ceased at a certain point. “The last text I received from her was on July 12. They were going to church the following day and [she said] to pray for her,” Timothy recalled. “I knew at this last part of the ceremony she wouldn’t have access to her phone. I did research and that was common.”
Dana informed her son she would text him on July 21, WCNC Charlotte reported. “On [July] 21, I waited and waited,” Timothy said. “Then on [July] 22 I had an eerie feeling and I had no messages on WhatsApp.”
Timothy’s grandfather ultimately called him on July 22 to inform him about his mother’s death. “I pulled up her itinerary and called the lady in charge, Manbo Maude, and I asked her what happened,” Timothy said. “They asked me how much I knew. Then they said she had gone through the ritual but got sick and had a stroke … then she said seizures … then, she changed it up and said she had an asthma attack.”
Timothy also said the stories about his mother’s death were contradictory as she did not joke with her health and would have sought treatment at a hospital. Timothy also said his mother’s death certificate also raised eyebrows. Besides being dirty, the information on the document was said to be incomplete as her official cause of death was not even disclosed.
Timothy additionally said his mother’s body was taken to three different places on the island, adding that he did not even know where her body was. “I feel like they manipulated and lied to my mom and I feel like I can’t be quiet about it anymore,” Timothy said.
