Megachurch denies throwing 'COVID-19 parties' after death of Florida teen

A Florida megachurch at the center of a major controversy surrounding the death of a local teenager is denying claims that it was throwing "COVID-19 parties."

The Christian Post reports that the First Assembly of God, a church based in Fort Myers, Florida, is denying claims that it held mass gatherings for teenage parishioners in which they were not required to wear face masks or socially distance.

"First Assembly of God of Fort Myers is following all of the health protections and protocols recommended by the state and local government with regard to holding its church services," the church said. "Let us be clear -- media reports and postings accusing the church of ignoring protocols or actively engaging in behavior intended to expose our congregation to the virus are absolutely false and defamatory."

Claims about the church came up after Carole Brunton Davis, a conspiracy theory-spouting woman who attended the church, allegedly tried to treat her daughter's COVID-19 infection with hydroxychloroquine and by putting her on her grandfather’s oxygen machine. After the daughter's condition worsened, Davis finally took her to a local hospital for professional medical treatment, but she nonetheless died days later.