COLORADO CITY, Ariz. — Short Creek Valley, home to Colorado City, Ariz. and Hildale, Utah are surrounded by beautiful mountains and sweeping valleys, but shrouded in mystery, and a history of polygamy and abuse.
In this special report, 12News examines that history, revisiting years of reporting about the changes in the towns and community, the work of people trying to help, and the lasting impact of the extremist religion.
The history of the FLDS Church in Short Creek Valley
For decades, the FLDS church dominated the valley, controlling the police department, running the schools and owning most of the homes. At the helm was Warren Jeffs, who is now imprisoned for life for taking more than 70 wives and abusing children.
Jeffs was arrested in 2006, and the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the towns in 2012. By 2017, a federal court ruled to overhaul the police department and local governments, but the recent arrest of Samuel Bateman has led to additional scrutiny of a town still working to reform.
Now, the area is being forced to reckon with another ruthless prophet.
In 2019, Samuel Bateman claimed Jeffs called him to lead the church. Bateman began using social media to attract followers and direct them to give up their belongings and join him in Colorado City.
Today, federal prosecutors accuse Bateman of convincing those followers to give up not only their possessions, but their children, to become Bateman's child brides.
"I do think he is a cookie cutter of Warren, he learned it from Warren. He did almost the same thing that Warren was doing," Brielle Decker told 12News journalist, Chase Golightly.
Decker grew up in Short Creek Valley and was once the 65th wife of Warren Jeffs.
"He was my principal, all my childhood clear up till sixth grade, my first grade teacher was his first wife," Decker said. "The grooming process was pretty intense for me. I was kind of just trapped within the walls in my own community."
Trapped, until she made her own escape.
Nonprofits work to help victims of the FLDS Church
When Jeffs was arrested, Decker made the decision to leave. She remembers jumping out of her bedroom window and running as far as she could. Anything to get away from the abuse she endured her whole life.
“It's amazing that I even survived that,” Decker said.
Decker is now married again and living in Hildale, Utah. She also advocates for others who want to leave the church.
In 2017 - she was awarded Jeffs home and helped transform it into the Short Creek Dream Center, which now houses and provides services to those wanting to start over, like she did.
Hers is not the only nonprofit working in the area to help support families is in the area.
In 2018, 12News journalist Joe Dana met followers of Jeffs, who said they lost many of the things they relied on after Jeffs went to prison.
"I work 12 hours a day trying to help these people find housing, find jobs, food, shoes, educational supplies, all the things that used to be supplied by the church,” said Christine Marie with Voices for Dignity, a nonprofit that leads a humanitarian effort for FLDS refugees.
Other nonprofits continue to offer services to the "Lost Boys" and other refugees of FLDS, including Cherish Families and Holding Out Help.
All the while, local leaders continue to work to reform the towns and make it a more inclusive community.
"The community is kind of going through a transformation and I wanted to be a part of what the future looks like here," said Colorado City mayor Howard Ream, who was elected in 2022.
For Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop, the changes are personal.
"It'll always be a part of our history. It's, it's what made us. It created me," Jessop told 12News. "It made me be the strong, independent woman I am. Because I will never be under that again."
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