Begley, John Paul vs. Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc et al

On May 15, 2024, the Florida jury returned a $15,048,526.25 verdict in favor of the Estate of Brandon Kyle Begley. The negligence lawsuit arose due to his wrongful death caused by the consumption of unsafe substances during a weekend retreat organized by Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc.

Case Background

On March 25, 2020, John Paul Begley filed a lawsuit alleging negligence for the wrongful death of his son before the Florida State, Orange County, Ninth Circuit Court. Judge Eric J Netcher presided over this case. [Case number: 2020-CA-003387-O]

Cause

On July 13, 2016, Christopher Young and Verena Young founded the Defendant Church. The Church offered weekend retreats, providing ayahuasca, Kambô, rapé, and accommodations in exchange for payment. Participants had to become Church members and pay membership fees.

On Sunday, March 19, 2021, Brandon Kyle Begley registered for a retreat from March 30, 2018, to April 1, 2018. He arrived at the Church’s establishment in Orlando, Florida, on March 30, 2018, and joined the Church. That weekend, no medical physician was present to monitor participants. On Friday, Brandon paid $350 for two ayahuasca sessions.
Ayahuasca, containing high levels of DMT, caused hallucinations. Despite a DEA notice on August 22, 2016, that providing ayahuasca was illegal, the Church continued its use. On Friday and Saturday, Brandon consumed ayahuasca, experiencing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea without medical supervision.
On Sunday, Brandon paid $150 for a Kambô session. The Defendant burned three holes into his upper left arm and administered the toxin. They burned a fourth hole and administered more toxins. Post-session, Brandon experienced severe pain and an altered mental state, exacerbated by dehydration.
The Defendant knew Brandon drank water before and after the session but did not monitor or restrict his intake. Concerned staff alerted Christopher Young, who found Brandon outside, unresponsive, at 7:00 p.m. Staff suggested giving him panela tea, after which Brandon became unresponsive. At 8:11 p.m., Christopher Young called 911.
Orange County Fire Rescue arrived at 8:22 p.m., finding Brandon tachycardic and unresponsive. They rushed him to Florida Hospital East Orlando. On April 2, Brandon was admitted to the ICU due to hyponatremia, brain injury, and respiratory failure. He died at the hospital on April 4.
On April 5, Dr. Jesse Giles conducted an autopsy, concluding the cause of death as hypoxic encephalopathy, hyponatremia, and primary polydipsia.

Injury

Due to the Defendant’s negligence, Brandon Begley died on April 4, 2018. The defective and inherently dangerous ayahuasca and poisonous toxins provided by Defendant directly caused his wrongful death.

Damages

As a result of Brandon Begley’s wrongful death, his estate suffered and would continue to suffer various damages. These include loss of earnings, loss of prospective net accumulations, funeral expenses, medical bills, and other legally allowed damages. Johan Paul Begley and Holly Catt, his parents, endured the loss of consortium, support, and services of their son, along with mental pain and suffering. The Plaintiff demanded judgment plus costs, interest, and any other relief the Court deemed just and proper against the Defendant.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Defendant(s): Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc. Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church of Mother Earth Retreat and Wellness Center DBA | Christopher Young 

Claims

The Plaintiffs claimed the Defendant breached their duty to exercise reasonable care for Brandon’s safety and benefit. The Defendant was accused of negligence by authorizing, permitting, and consenting to the unlawful sale and provision of ayahuasca, which contained the Schedule I controlled substance DMT.

Defendants failed to properly and accurately warn Brandon of the illegality of ayahuasca and that its use did not meet accepted safety standards. They failed to properly evaluate, monitor, and assess Brandon after he consumed ayahuasca and received the toxin during the Kambô session. Defendants also failed to instruct and prevent Brandon from unsafe water consumption after administering the toxins and ayahuasca. They did not recognize signs of danger or call emergency services promptly. Additionally, they failed to hire, train, and retain capable staff and did not have medical personnel on-site.

Defense

The Defendant denied negligence accusations. They argued Brandon Kyle Begley caused his own death by continuing to drink water after being warned to stop. They claimed Begley had a medical condition with seizures and took seizure medications, which might have contributed to his death. Additionally, they asserted they had warned Begley about the risks of the religious ceremonies and excessive water intake. They argued Begley was comparatively negligent.

Expert Testimony

Expert testimony was crucial in the trial. Plaintiff’s expert witness Dr. Melinek provided insights into the cause and manner of Brandon’s death based on her expertise in forensic pathology. Dr. Wilson testified on the cause of death, drawing on his background in medical toxicology and emergency medicine. Dr. Bialkin contributed expertise on hyponatremia, primary polydipsia, and the effects of excessive water consumption, emphasizing the criticality of timely intervention once symptoms arise.
Defendant’s expert, Dr. Charles Grob offered expert insights into the effects of ayahuasca and Kambô, covering their historical use, biochemical, physiological, and psychological effects, as well as potential toxicity.

Jury Verdict

On May 15, 2024, the Florida jury returned a $15,048,526.25 verdict in favor of the Plaintiffs. The jury held that negligence on the part of Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc. and Christopher Young was the legal cause of Brandon Kyle Begley’s death. The jury held that Defendant Soul Quest Church had sold, distributed, or supplied an unreasonably dangerous and defective product which had led to Brandon Kyle Begley’s death.

No contributory negligence on Brandon Begley’s part was found. The jury attributed 40% of the negligence to Christopher Young and 60% to Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc.

John Paul Begley and Holly Catt were each awarded $7,500,000 for the loss of Brandon Begley’s companionship and their pain and suffering. Additionally, the Estate of Brandon Begley was awarded $45,526.25 in medical damages.

Court Documents:

Complaint

Answer – Christopher Young

Answer – Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc

Verdict