275: Amanda Householder | Filming Let Us Prey, Shutting Down Circle of Hope, and Discussing the SICCA Act

I initially interviewed Amanda Householder on June 10, 2020. During our conversation, she revealed that a staggering number of "troubled teen homes" existed across the United States.

Despite purporting to assist at-risk youth, these facilities often functioned as unregulated prisons, particularly those with a faith-based orientation, enjoying even less oversight due to religious exemptions.

Amanda detailed various forms of physical, sexual, and mental abuse, encompassing forced starvation, force feedings, rape, molestation, beatings, and months of isolation.

For Amanda, the fight against the troubled teen industry hits close to home, as she grew up in the Bible Belt, where her parents served as staff at the Agape Boarding School in Stockton, Missouri, before departing to establish their own unlicensed children's home called Circle of Hope. Much has transpired since our initial conversation.

Less than a year later, Amanda's parents, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, were arrested, facing 100 charges of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse allegedly occurring at their faith-based boarding school in Missouri. Consequently, Circle of Hope closed its doors.

In January 2023, Agape Boarding School shut down following an extensive investigation and scrutiny. Additionally, in November 2023, Amanda's story was featured in the four-part documentary series "Let Us Prey," premiering on Investigation Discovery and currently available for streaming on Max.

In this conversation, we delve into Amanda's participation in the production of "Let Us Prey," the current state of the Troubled Teen industry, and what the future holds for Amanda's activism.

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