Six week-old Laurentiu Gaydeu was dipped under the water three times as 20 members of his family looked on proudly, Pravda reported today.
However, the holy ceremony turned to horror when the priest forgot to cover the youngster’s mouth as he submerged him.
Family members including Laurentiu’s parents, Ludmila and Dmitry, became anxious when they noticed the baby was looking unwell.
But the priest allegedly dismissed their concerns and pushed on with the baptism in Mihaileny, a small village in the Rishcansky district of Moldova.
It soon became clear the child was showing no signs of life. Laurentiu was rushed to the hospital but medics were unable to revive him, the online Russian newspaper said.
