Missouri Boarding School Abuse Accusation

[nolongerIFBx]

https://abc17news.com/news/2020/09/17/missouri-christian-boarding-school-probed-over-abuse-claims/?fbclid=IwAR14Mm4GORxQNggRN6lSzbmiRHmUVQrSUrF2mEog0A_diO_yakCQ9uceS8s

HUMANSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a Christian boarding school from which around 20 girls were removed after former residents turned to social media to describe abuse in a case that has focused attention on a Missouri law that exempts faith-based schools from oversight.

In recent years, the state has substantiated four reports of abuse and neglect involving the Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch, which is located less than 7 miles (11.27 kilometers) from the 1,000-person town of Humansville in rural southwestern Missouri.

One report was for neglect, one for physical abuse and neglect and two for sexual abuse allegations, said Rebecca Woelfel, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Social Services. She did not say when the reports were made or whom the allegations were against, The Kansas City Star reported.

Former residents told the newspaper about punishments that included the withholding of food and water and being forced to stand against a wall for hours for even minor infractions.

But because the recently closed reform school is exempt from state licensure, the state “does not have authority” over its operations, Woelfel said. The facility has close ties to the independent fundamental Baptist church [bolding added by me], which teach followers to separate themselves from worldly influence. Such churches refuse to join any affiliated Baptist denomination.

No criminal charges have been filed against the owners, Boyd and Stephanie Householder. But an investigation is underway, and Cedar County’s prosecuting attorney, Ty Gaither, said he’s still waiting on reports from state agencies and law enforcement.

The couple say they have no plans to reopen the school but want their reputation restored. They have appealed all of the substantiated reports, blaming their estranged daughter and what they describe as a group of former residents whose lives didn’t turn out the way they wanted after they left the ranch.

“They’re angry and they’re bitter, and they want to blame somebody,” said Stephanie Householder, 55. “They feel like they’re victims, and they just want to take their anger out on somebody.”

Last month, Cedar County authorities removed all of the girls who were still at the facility — 25 of them according to the prosecutor and 18 according to Stephanie Householder. A search warrant also was served.

The couple’s attorney, Jay Kirksey, didn’t immediately respond to phone messages from The Star and The Associated Press.

In recent months, several former residents have recorded videos for social media describing their alleged abuse. And a secret recording made in March by a friend of the Householders appeared to capture Boyd Householder endorsing the use of violence among the girls.

Boyd Householder told The Star that the video was edited and that he was simply telling one girl that she had the right to defend herself against another.

The couple’s daughter, Amanda Householder, said that although she’s relieved to hear that her parents are shutting down Circle of Hope, she’s not going to stop pushing for a thorough investigation.

“I’m not done,” she said. “They can deny it all they want, but they still need to be held accountable.”

Democratic state Rep. Keri Ingle, a former social worker from Lee’s Summit, has asked the state’s Office of the Child Advocate to conduct a complete review of the allegations against Circle of Hope and called for a legislative committee hearing on the matter.

“I want to know what happened, what happened in the system?” Ingle said. “Was it they weren’t following their own policies, they weren’t following existing laws? Or are there laws and policies that need to be put in place to prevent this from happening again?”

[NachosFlandersStyle]

I feel like I heard about the problems with this place years ago (I have family in the area) and I assumed it had already been shut down! Wtf!

[Howl]

1 hour ago, nolongerIFBx said:

“They’re angry and they’re bitter, and they want to blame somebody,” said Stephanie Householder, 55.

Bitter.  Key fundy red-flag word that describes someone legitimately angry over being abused by fundamentalists, particularly fundamentalists who think they are endowed by God to abuse people who aren't sufficiently submissive, especially kids. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Howl

[hoipolloi]

Interesting that their adult daughter is among those pushing for a full investigation of her parents' "school."

Sounds like there's a separate story there -- hope it isn't a horror story.

[Marmion]

6 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

Interesting that their adult daughter is among those pushing for a full investigation of her parents' "school."

Sounds like there's a separate story there -- hope it isn't a horror story.

Spoiler

 

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by Marmion

[Ozlsn]

On 9/18/2020 at 2:10 AM, nolongerIFBx said:

But because the recently closed reform school is exempt from state licensure, the state “does not have authority” over its operations

I really don't understand this at all. Surely to operate as a school, reform or otherwise, they should be required to meet some basic standards? Even if school is not the right word here if you're operating a facility where minors are being "treated", again surely there should be some regulation and oversight? 

[hoipolloi]

1 hour ago, Ozlsn said:

Surely to operate as a school, reform or otherwise, they should be required to meet some basic standards?

You would think so. There's some additional information in this lengthy article, including excerpts of a 2-hour phone interview with the parents as well as statements from their estranged daughter who, predictably, her parents say is a Satan worshiper. Here is the parents' "explanation" of why they aren't licensed:

Quote

Stephanie Householder said the fact that she and her husband didn’t seek licensing from DSS has nothing to do with them not wanting state oversight. “The reason we would never take a license is because once you take a license from the state, if a child didn’t want to go to church, then that child didn’t have to go to church,” she said. “And the problem with that is, then that meant the rest of them wouldn’t be able to go to church. And part of our program was they would go to church.... The license doesn’t mean that social services is there 24 hours making sure that the kids are, quote, safe.”

The place sounds like a fundie hell hole, on a par with Hephzibah House. Circle of Hope has had years of complaints, including a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse made against Boyd Householder.

It also looks like a fucking dump:

Edited September 19, 2020 by hoipolloi
Clarifying

[smittykins]

Of course they have a Trump flag.?

[Marmion]

12 hours ago, smittykins said:

Of course they have a Trump flag.?

It's telling.  It seems that a number of Bible based cults , plus perhaps some not so Bible based are backing Trump .  P.S. Here is a more detailed account of what the daughter's experience was .  https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2020/08/20/missouri-investigate-cedar-county-girls-home-physical-sexual-emotional-abuse-reports/5620457002/   

[Ozlsn]

I found this part interesting:

Added Boyd Householder: “The girls that are making these comments and stuff, they’ve gone nowhere in life. The girls that are praising us have gone to college, have a career in the military, have a career in office buildings as secretaries and so forth

OK, so if I were a journalist my next move would be to ask for the contact details of those people, or for my work details to be passed on so I could talk to them and get a quote, whether named or "wishing to remain anonymous".  I would assume at least some of the people supporting them would have contacted the media to say so. There doesn't seem to be much out there in terms of public support that I can see.

[Marmion]

20 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

I found this part interesting:

Added Boyd Householder: “The girls that are making these comments and stuff, they’ve gone nowhere in life. The girls that are praising us have gone to college, have a career in the military, have a career in office buildings as secretaries and so forth

OK, so if I were a journalist my next move would be to ask for the contact details of those people, or for my work details to be passed on so I could talk to them and get a quote, whether named or "wishing to remain anonymous".  I would assume at least some of the people supporting them would have contacted the media to say so. There doesn't seem to be much out there in terms of public support that I can see.

And , in addition to what all you posted , it's not as if the success in life , of these supposed graduates of the program got where they are now as the direct result of their experience there .   I think that his remarks is likely more so an example of this .  

Quote

8. 

Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority

a.No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group

b.Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.

c.Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family

d.Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll

e.Threats of harm to ex-member and family

 https://www.openmindsfoundation.org/the-bite-model-of-influence/  

[Marmion]

An update  

 

[GuineaPigCourtship]

A friend of mine was at a now shut down school similar to this from 17 to 18 because of a rocky relationship with her parents. I didn't know what had happened to her until she got out (midnight on her 18th birthday and she walked out with nothing). That was 16 years ago and she's never really recovered from the abuse and trauma. Her family is in denial about it so they're pretty estranged.

People who run schools like this are monsters that prey on families and children with problems. You don't help them by tormenting them... there are actually people who have studied how to help troubled teens and addicts. Because they tell parents kids acting out and lying about treatment is normal, they set up an environment where the kids are targets for abuse and nobody will believe or help them.

She's pretty active in the #iseeyousurviver movement and has done some heartbreaking videos about it.

[indianabones]

On 10/15/2020 at 8:29 PM, GuineaPigCourtship said:

She's pretty active in the #iseeyousurviver movement and has done some heartbreaking videos about it.

I didn't know this was a movement! I'm excited this exists, hopefully it'll help eradicate these places.

[GuineaPigCourtship]

I don't know how big a movement it is, honestly, but all her posts, videos, and I believe a podcast she is doing have the tag which led me to believe it has at least a small base.  I hope so, because nobody should have to bear this trauma of abuse or the guilt for doing what they thought was best and putting their child in harm's way.

[hoipolloi]

When the Missouri Legislature (a heavily R & tRumper group) has you in its sights, you might be in deep kimchi:

Quote

 

Last Monday’s hearing was called by Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, following an extensive report from the Kansas City Star documenting the testimonies of abuse of a dozen former students from Circle of Hope Girl’s Ranch, a Cedar County facility that was closed in August. In September, two former ranch residents filed lawsuits in Cedar County against the owners, Boyd and Stephanie Householder.

Missouri does not have a clear definition of what unregulated schools are and how many such institutions exist in the state, Solon acknowledged.

 

 

[AmazonGrace]

 

[hoipolloi]

NBC Dateline is airing a story on Circle of Hope tonight, 11 Feb 2021.

This article covers Circle of Hope and other abusive "schools" around the US:

Quote

 

Lack of oversight is not limited to Missouri. For example, Arkansas allows boarding schools and child welfare agencies operated solely by a religious organization to be exempt from licensing.

Many other states, such as New Jersey, Oklahoma and Texas, do not require religious boarding schools to be licensed by education or child welfare authorities because they are privately owned or privately funded. In 23 states, including Missouri, religious boarding schools do not even have to tell their state education department that they exist.

 

Horrifying and frightening.

[keepercjr]

I watched the Dateline episode last night.  Horrifying how nobody listened to those kids (and parents!) and allowed the abuse to continue for years.

[Howl]

I had it on DVR and just finished watching. Heartbreaking.  

In Missouri, there is NO REGULATION of these facilities, none. There is no obligation to register with the state, no reporting requirements, nothing.  Numerous reports were made to the local police/sheriff's office and nothing came of it. Nothing.  I don't think they were educated, so that's another form of abuse. 

The girls were coached to lie to CPS about what was going on.   They were terrified of repercussions (physical abuse, withholding food)  if they leaked anything to police or CPS. 

One girl reported being raped by the Householder's son.  Another reported being groped (breasts and buttocks) by Boyd Householder once she had turned 18.  I think another reported being raped by Boyd Householder. 

 

[hoipolloi]

The MO legislature is moving on bi-partisan bills to mandate oversight of faith-based youth homes:

Quote

 

The bills would require faith-based youth homes to notify the state of their location, provide background checks for all employees and ensure that Social Services can see a child that it suspects is being abused or neglected.

The vote comes weeks after moving testimony brought lawmakers to tears as victims of these homes told their stories of neglect and abuse that went unchecked by state officials.

The two bills brought before the committee were sponsored by Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, and Rep. Rudy Veit R-Wardsville. They said the legislation would make it harder for the homes to operate unchecked.

 

 

[mamallama]

I just saw on the news that this asshat was arrested.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/circle-hope-girls-ranch-owners-charged-abuse-after-women-spoke-n1260439

[Howl]

CNN: Former owners of girls boarding school facing more than 100 felony charges including statutory rape

I'm surprised the son wasn't charged; one of the women reported that he had raped her when they both (IIRC) were minors. 

[hoipolloi]

Just when you think you've seen it all.

A pastor at Bible Baptist Church in MO is now raising money for a legal defense fund for Boyd & Stephanie Householder, saying they should be cleared of "these false, demonic accusations:"

The Kansas City Star has even more details, including the following jaw-dropper:

Quote

 

The Householders are represented by Springfield attorney Adam Woody, whose own history was brought up by prosecutors in a March bond hearing.

Woody is under criminal felony indictment, accused of bribing a witness in a murder trial and committing perjury, one of the two assistant attorneys general handling the case told the court.

 

ETA: Pastor Pyle's church is IFB. According to the Star, at least several IFB churches provided financial support for the Circle of Hope Girls Ranch as well as recommended the place over the years.

Edited May 20, 2021 by hoipolloi
Adding info