Tacirua, Fiji - Police are investigating the death of a 17-year old boy in the premises of the One World Church at Tacirua.
Police spokeswoman Ema Mua said they believe the boy was suffering from epilepsy but was not taken to hospital when he was under attack from the ailment.
Ms Mua said the matter was reported to the Valelevu Police Station yesterday after the boy died at the church.
She said police were treating the case as serious because they had received information that the members of the church had been against their members being taken to the hospital if they were sick.
"We are trying to talk to the other members who were at the church on the day of the boy's death and investigations are continuing," said Ms Mua.
One of the sect's belief is that members with a sickness are not allowed to go to the hospital but instead, rely on help from above to recover or be cured from the sickness.
They say they would rather die with a sickness or ailment rather than go against their sect's belief.
Meanwhile, yesterday none of the members of the church were willing to give any information pertaining to the boy's death or the whereabouts of the boy's parents.
The leader of the One World Church, Safaira Kua, was not available for any comment yesterday afternoon.