Tonight,
we continue our exclusive series on the Polygamous LDS
church and the towns they controlled for decades.
Good evening. And thanks so much for joining us for 12 news at 10.
I'm Tram, I'm Mark Curtis for the first time in years.
We're speaking with Brielle Decker, the 65th wife of Warren Jeffs,
the self proclaimed prophet over thousands of his followers.
Chase go
lightly,
took the trip up to Short Creek Valley to hear her story of overcoming abuse.
Chase
Tram Mark at just 18 years old Brielle Decker was forced to marry
Warren Jeff shortly after he came to power and endured years of abuse.
Now she helps others who want to escape the lifestyle. She was raised in
massive homes are spread throughout Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale Utah
surrounded by towering walls to keep people from looking in
this one. The house is 45.
We were invited into
a 28,000 square foot house where an infamous polygamous Flds
prophet ruled. So this was Warren Jeff's house.
Warren Jeff's new home is a Texas prison after he was
sentenced to life behind bars for sex crimes against Children.
The self proclaimed prophet had more than 70 wives who all lived here,
including Brielle Decker.
I was the 65th wife of Warren. Jeff Briel was raised in the FLDS
religion having 13 siblings in two months.
One of her older sisters marrying Jeff's father ruin,
who was the prophet at the time,
she first met Warren while attending the Alta Academy in Salt Lake City,
a school just for those in the religion.
So he was my principal all my childhood
till sixth grade.
My first grade teacher was his first wife.
Growing up, the rules were simple do as the prophet commanded.
The grooming process was pretty intense for me.
If you dated it was actually worthy of blood at
it was a serious crime. Briel
said she played the part she was told but it didn't stop
bullying from her siblings and abuse from those in the community.
I had at least 60 abusers at 16. She and her family moved to Colorado City like so many.
When Ruland Jeffs passed away in 2002,
Warren became the prophet and started taking dozens of wives including Briel.
Right after she turned 18, I was actually terrified of the whole situation
and I think he picked up on it.
Briel said after the secret wedding ceremony,
the sexual abuse by Jeff's began with no escape.
So I was kind of just trapped within the walls in my own community.
She witnessed Warren breaking families apart and even
married Children as young as 12 years old,
I was just so angry.
Then when Jeff's was arrested,
Briel made the decision to leave jumping out of her
bedroom window and ran as far as she could,
anything to get away from the abuse. She endured her whole life.
You know, it's amazing that I
survived that. Now, 17 years later, Briel is married again living in Hilldale Utah
and advocating for others who want to leave the church,
working for a nonprofit located in the very home where she was abused.
In 2017, she was awarded Warren's compound
and helped transform it into the Short Creek Dream Center
that houses and provides services to those wanting to start over.
Like she did, they have to learn to cope, so they definitely need the help.
But to admit it is another thing during this interview,
we could hear Children running and playing in the room right above us.
45 rooms that are always filled
to capacity for the last three years, you know.
Yeah, it's quite a bit
of
the home that once trapped Briel inside
now helping others get out
Shore Creek Valley has changed so much since the time of Warren Jeffs.
But the remnants of the LDS church still linger tomorrow on 12 news.
We are hearing from city leaders about that change
and what else their towns still have to overcome.
We're live in the newsroom Chase Whiteley, 12 News Chase. Thanks