Overview
- The four-part true-crime series has climbed to the top of Netflix’s chart with roughly 32 million hours viewed in a week, according to ComicBook.com.
- The documentary follows cult expert Christine Marie and filmmaker Tolga Katas as their insider footage from Short Creek offers rare access, under the direction of Emmy winner Rachel Dretzin.
- Samuel Rappylee Bateman, a self-proclaimed FLDS prophet, was exposed after a 2022 Arizona traffic stop led to federal raids, pleaded guilty in 2024, and is serving a 50-year federal sentence.
- Court records reported by AZCentral say Bateman gathered about 50 followers and took 22 so-called wives, including 10 minors, with a judge likening the abuse to sex slavery.
- FOX 10 Phoenix reports the series has renewed calls for protection and accountability in Colorado City, with advocates saying children still lack a safety net and that law enforcement responses often fade after brief crackdowns.