Woman suffers dangerous camel kick during megachurch’s Christmas Spectacular
The annual "Christmas Spectacular" produced by the multi-campus Champion Forest Baptist Church in Texas turned into a nightmare for one patron earlier this month after she appeared to be kicked in the face by a camel while watching a procession of performers from an aisle seat in the sanctuary.
A video of the kick shared on Facebook by Grizzy’s Hood News shows the camel kicking the woman while it was being led down a narrow aisle by a performer. The woman can be seen in the video slumping sideways in the pew before onlookers rushed to her aid.
According to an update shared by Grizzy’s Hood News, the woman was treated at a local hospital for undisclosed injuries. She has since been released and is continuing her recovery.
The church’s website describes the "Christmas Spectacular" as “a 90 minute, family friendly show celebrating the birth of Jesus and the joy of the holiday season!”
“This cherished tradition combines Broadway-scale songs, stunning dance performances, dazzling lights, and special effects that will captivate all ages,” the church states.
The production started on Dec. 9 and ended on Dec. 14.
Champion Forest Baptist Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Christian Post about the incident on Friday. Church communications director Steven Miori told NBC News in a statement that the kicking incident was “unexpected.”
“Champion Forest regrets that this happened," Miori said. "Our team responded immediately, and emergency services were engaged."
The church has been in contact with the family and no longer walks animals in the audience seating areas after the incident, Miori stated.
While the exact nature of the unidentified woman’s injuries remains unclear, a study published by the National Library of Medicine states that a camel's kick is extremely dangerous and the leading cause of camel-related injuries to humans. A camel’s kick is powerful enough to cause high morbidity or death.
“Patients with a kick-related injury had a significantly higher rate of maxillofacial fractures compared with other mechanisms,” the study states.
In the 2022 research report "The nature and consequences of camel-related injuries: A scoping review with special reference to Arab Middle Eastern countries," researchers note that “[a]ttacks involving kicks are more common in the breeding season when male camels become more aggressive and violent."
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