Mother loses custody after failing to make ‘full-hearted’ break from 'harmful' cult in UK

The child, aged nine, was at the centre of a court battle between her parents over her living arrangements and her alleged exposure to the teachings of Universal Medicine – understood to have been founded in Australia in 1999. File photo

A mother in England has lost custody of her daughter after failing to make a “full-hearted” break from a cult and its “harmful teachings and beliefs”.

The woman had been told by the Court of Appeal in April that she must make a “definitive break” from Universal Medicine or risk losing her child, in a ruling which said her involvement with the group was a “source of ongoing harm” to the youngster.