WACO, Texas (AP) - A pastor performing a baptism was electrocuted inside his
church Sunday morning after grabbing a microphone while partially submerged,
a church employee said.
Rev. Kyle Lake, 33, was standing in water up to his shoulder in a baptismal
at University Baptist Church when he was electrocuted, said Jamie Dudley, a
church business administrator and wife of another pastor there.
Doctors in the congregation performed chest compressions for 40 minutes
before Lake was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, Dudley said.
Police said they weren't called and the hospital referred calls to the
church.
The woman Lake was baptizing was not injured, Dudley said.
Pastors at University Baptist Church routinely use a microphone during
baptisms, Dudley said.
"He was grabbing the microphone so everyone could hear," Dudley said. "It's
the only way you can be loud enough."
About 800 people attended the morning service, which was larger than normal
because it was homecoming weekend at nearby Baylor University, Dudley said.
Lake, who had a wife and three children, had been at the church for nine
years, the last seven as pastor, Dudley said.
GBL