Russian girl kills self over U.S. radio host's end of the world prediction

[News_Editor]

Russian girl kills self over U.S. radio host's end of the world prediction

2011-05-25 23:28:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

MARI EL, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) -- A 14-year-old Russian teenager on Saturday hung herself because she feared a U.S. radio host's prediction that the Rapture would begin at 6 p.m. on that day.

Nastya Zachinova had changed from a sociable, friendly, and happy teenager into a quiet and depressed girl last week as media organizations worldwide covered claims by Christian radio host Harold Camping who said the Rapture would begin on Saturday.

According to Camping's prediction, a massive earthquake was supposed to start in the Pacific Rim at 6 p.m. local time in each timezone. "There will be a great earthquake, such as has never been in the history of the Earth," he said.

Camping said the massive earthquakes, which he described as the Rapture, would take approximately 3 percent of the world's population to heaven. This would represent around 200 million people, who Camping said are true believers.

But May 21st was not supposed to be the end, according to Camping, who said that those left behind would suffer five months of disasters and war before the world really ends on October 21.

The girl from Mari El Republic, a federal subject of Russia, took Camping's claims seriously. "We are not righteous, only the righteous will go to heaven, and we'll stay on earth and face terrible suffering," Nastya wrote in her personal diary, according to her family and investigators who spoke with Russian tabloid LifeNews. "It is the beginning of the end."

On Saturday, LifeNews reported, Nastya went home from school and sent a text message saying she did not want to suffer and would kill herself first. She then hung herself with clothes on her veranda and was later found dead.

The girl's parents said they did not think her daughter was preparing to kill herself, and say they still cannot believe what happened. "She took this date too close to her heart," Nastya's mother told LifeNews.

Camping, who first claimed the world would end in September 1994, now said he was mistaken and that the Rapture and the end of the world will happen at the same time in October.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-25