Investigators Suspect Harold Camping's End of the World Prediction to Blame for Fla. Man's Death

By Daniel Blake , Christian Post Contributor

May 26, 2011|6:00 pm

Investigators looking into the circumstances of the death of a young man from Florida are suspecting Harold Camping’s rapture prediction and the publicity generated by the Family Radio man’s followers may have pushed him over the edge.

Victor Frasno, 25, described by investigators as very religious, was staying with family in California when he became hysterical as Harold Camping’s Judgment Day was about to arrive hours later. Despite the fact that he couldn’t swim, he jumped into the huge reservoir in Contra Loma Regional Park, Antioch saying he had to “get to God.”

Frasno’s body was recovered from the reservoir just moments before midnight as May 21st, Camping’s predicted day of rapture, was about to arrive.

Investigators are suggesting that the aggressive global advertising campaign and vast coverage given to Camping’s prediction is to blame. Detective Holly Sontag, told the Contra Costa Times, “I believe it probably had something to do with the rapture because this wasn't his normal behavior.”

On May 20th, Frasno visited the park with family when he started to gradually behave more and more erratically. Detective Sontag stated, “He (Frasno) started talking about God profoundly, but nothing abnormal at that point.”

The group then went back to an apartment where Frasno watched a video about UFO’s while quoting verses from the book of Ezekiel. Frasno then insisted the group return to the park.

Detective Sontag said, “He told his family that he now understood the Bible and that God was going to come to see him.”

At that point he dived into the reservoir saying that God was waiting for him on the other side. Frasno’s brother and his wife jumped in to rescue him, but although they were able to initially drag him out, the disturbed man managed to jump back in and tried to take his brother with him.

Detective Sontag explained that Frasno had not been drinking, and was not taking any prescription drugs, and had no history of mental illness at all. She concluded, “The family never said anything related to rapture, but our sense is that was probably what happened.”