Brief Summary
This YouTube video by Danielle Kirsty covers two disturbing cult cases: the Antill Kids cult led by Rock Tero in Canada and the Australian cult called "The Family" led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne. Both cult leaders subjected their followers to extreme physical, psychological, and emotional abuse, with a particular focus on controlling and harming children. The video details the horrific conditions within these cults, the leaders' manipulative tactics, and the long-lasting impact on the survivors.
- Rock Tero and the Antill Kids: A Canadian cult involving extreme violence, child abuse, and manipulation, with Tero ultimately dying in prison.
- Anne Hamilton-Byrne and The Family: An Australian cult focused on stealing children, administering LSD, and controlling followers through fear and abuse, with Hamilton-Byrne escaping justice and living a life of luxury until her death.
Introduction and Disclaimer
The video begins with a strong disclaimer, warning viewers about the graphic and disturbing content that will be presented. The content creator emphasizes that this case is the worst she has ever covered and advises viewers to prepare themselves and avoid eating while watching. The video will cover the cult of the Antill Kids and their leader, Rock Tero, a man the content creator finds indescribable due to his extreme actions.
Rock Tero's Early Life
Rock Tero was born in Quebec, Canada, on May 16, 1947. He was described as outgoing, eager to learn, and intelligent as a child, but left school after the seventh grade. Tero claimed his childhood was abusive, a sentiment echoed by neighbors. His father forced him and his brothers to play a violent game called "Bone," where they kicked each other in the shins with steel-toed boots. He also resented his father's forcing him to campaign for the White Berets, a religious organization. As a teenager, Tero was popular and charismatic, traits that would later serve him as a cult leader.
Early Adulthood and Erratic Behavior
In 1967, at age 21, Rock married 17-year-old Francine, and they had two children. He supported his family by selling wood carvings. However, his behavior became erratic after suffering severe abdominal pain and undergoing multiple surgeries for stomach ulcers, which led to dumping syndrome and chronic pain. Distrustful of the medical profession, he became obsessed with medical texts and lectured others on medicine. He turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the pain, leading to addiction and increased anger, particularly towards Francine. He had an affair, leading to his divorce from Francine after seven years of marriage.
Religious Obsession and the Seventh Day Adventist Church
After his divorce, Rock married Jazelle, the woman he had an affair with. He became obsessed with religion, reading extensively on the subject, and then suddenly became obsessed with his health, giving up drugs and alcohol. He joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church and became a star campaigner, attracting many new members with his charisma. His ego grew, and his messages became increasingly extreme.
The Vision and the Beginning of the Cult
During a church retreat, Rock claimed to have a vision from God, declaring himself a messenger of God with the power to heal. He preached about an upcoming apocalypse. When a woman named Geraldine, who had leukemia, died after he prescribed grape juice and organic food instead of medical treatment, he claimed he had brought her back to life but God told him it was her time to go. His extreme messages caused tension within the church, and he was eventually kicked out, marking the true beginning of his cult.
Eternal Mountain and the Antill Kids
After being ousted from the church, Rock gathered his loyal followers, convincing them to abandon their lives and follow him. Approximately 13 adults and 10 children followed him to a remote mountainside in the Gasp Peninsula, Canada, which he named Eternal Mountain. He told his commune that the world would end in February 1979 and that they needed to live under his rule to survive. He made them build a camp from scratch, rationed their food, gave them biblical names to strip them of their identities, and married all the women, fathering 22 children with eight women.
Irrational Rules and Violence
Rock's leadership became increasingly violent and erratic, especially when drunk. He followed the story of Jim Jones and Jonestown closely in the media. He banned contact with the outside world and forbade members from speaking to each other unless he was present. He inflicted punishments on those he thought were straying, including beatings, suspension from the ceiling, plucking out body hair, and defecation. He forced members to inflict violence on themselves, such as breaking their own legs, sitting on hot stoves, shooting each other, eating dead mice and feces, and cutting off toes. He also sexually abused the children.
The Death of Samuel and the Castration of Guy
After three years of unnoticed violence, the authorities began to pay attention when a man named Guy Via joined the cult and beat a 2-year-old boy named Samuel to death. Rock, claiming he could cure people, operated on Samuel with scissors, pouring rubbing alcohol down his throat as an anesthetic, which likely caused alcohol poisoning. Rock blamed Guy for the death and held a trial, finding him guilty. Rock then convinced Guy that castration would cure his headaches and performed the operation with a razor blade and tweezers.
The Burnt River Location and Further Atrocities
After serving only 14 months for criminal negligence in Samuel's death, Rock moved the cult to Burnt River in Ontario. There, he made members fight gladiator-style for his amusement and held competitions to see which of his wives could have the most orgasms. A newborn baby he hated, believing it bore the mark of the devil, was left outside to freeze to death. When authorities seized 14 children in 1985, things spiraled further out of control.
Gabrielle's Escape and Rock's Downfall
Adult members who tried to escape were unsuccessful and brutally punished. Rock threw a hunting knife at Jazelle, stabbed Gabrielle in the back with a hypodermic needle, cut off one of Gabrielle's fingers with a wire cutter, and smashed her head with the blunt side of an axe. On one occasion, Rock drove a hunting knife through Gabrielle's hand, pinning her to the table, and then whittled away at her arm before cutting it off with a meat cleaver. Gabrielle eventually escaped and reported the abuse to the authorities, leading to Rock's arrest.
Solange's Murder and Rock's Final Years
In 1989, Rock operated on Solange, who was complaining of stomach pains, ultimately killing her. He then exhumed her body, performed a post-mortem marriage, and masturbated onto her brain, claiming he could resurrect her. He broke off one of her ribs to wear as a necklace and masturbated into a jar containing her ashes. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the assault on Gabrielle and later charged with second-degree murder for Solange's death, receiving a life sentence. Even in prison, he maintained control over some followers and fathered four more children. In 2011, Rock Tero was stabbed to death by his cellmate.
Introduction to Anne Hamilton-Byrne and The Family
The video transitions to the story of Anne Hamilton-Byrne and her Australian cult, "The Family." Anne is described as vain, yoga-loving, a multi-millionaire, and a "born-again Jesus Christ" who stole babies to create her perfect family. The content creator warns that this case will be infuriating, particularly the ending.
Anne's Early Life
Anne Hamilton-Byrne, born Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards on December 30, 1921, grew up in a small farming town outside Melbourne, Australia. Her father was absent, and her mother, Florence, was a self-proclaimed medium diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, spending much of her life in psychiatric hospitals. Anne had to raise her six younger siblings and spent time in orphanages.
Early Adulthood and Loss
At 20, Anne sought a fresh start, fantasizing about a glamorous and wealthy life with a large, happy family. She married Lionel Harris, and they had a daughter named Judith. However, her dream was shattered when Lionel was killed in a car crash on his way to adopt another child. The children's home then refused the adoption due to her single parent status.
Reinvention and Yoga
In the 1960s, Anne created a new identity for herself, changing her name to Anne Hamilton. She discovered yoga and became obsessed, studying Eastern philosophies and spiritual teachings. She became a yoga teacher, preaching about spirituality and a higher power, captivating her students with her confidence.
Starting Her Own Cult
Anne's teachings became increasingly extreme, leading to her expulsion from the yoga school. She started her own yoga school, attracting most of her former students. She portrayed herself as a godlike figure, convincing her followers that she was a descendant of French royalty and a medium who could contact the dead. She underwent extensive plastic surgery to maintain an ever-youthful appearance, which her followers believed was due to her access to the fountain of youth.
Recruiting Women and Dr. Raina Johnson
Anne convinced women in her yoga classes to leave their husbands, offering them a place in her "family." By 1962, she realized she needed men to grow her organization. She targeted Dr. Raina Johnson, a highly intelligent and influential professor at Melbourne University who was also interested in the supernatural. Anne slept with his gardener to gain information and then predicted his wife would become ill on a trip to India, which impressed him.
The Great White Brotherhood and Expansion
Dr. Johnson became the first male member of the cult, which they named "The Great White Brotherhood" (later renamed "The Family"). He used his power and connections to recruit new members, including lawyers, businessmen, politicians, and doctors. Anne claimed to be the female reincarnation of Jesus Christ and performed "miracles" by having doctors poison cult members and then stop, making it appear as though she had cured them.
The Psychiatric Hospital and Bill Burn
Dr. Johnson introduced Anne to Joy, who owned a psychiatric hospital. Anne convinced Joy to leave her the hospital in her will. With the hospital, Anne could have doctors commit anyone who threatened the cult. She got Bill Burn's wife committed to the psychiatric hospital in order to marry him.
The Growing Cult and Irrational Rules
The cult grew to 500 members, all wealthy and powerful. Anne demanded 10% of their wages, making her a multi-millionaire. She made cult members swap spouses as a power trip. She convinced them they had a karmic debt that could only be repaid by doing everything she said. Those who disobeyed were committed to the psychiatric hospital or subjected to brutal operations, such as frontal lobe lobotomies.
The End of the World and Stolen Children
Anne told her followers that the apocalypse was approaching and that they needed to repopulate the planet, creating a master race. She began stealing children, taking 14 from her psychiatric hospital and vulnerable young mothers and 14 from other cult members. She forged birth certificates and adoption records with the help of lawyers.
Life at Uptop
The children were kept at a property called Uptop, which was essentially a prison. They were forced to dye their hair platinum blonde, wear matching clothes, and undergo speech lessons to sound British. Anne made home movies to portray a perfect family image.
Abuse and Control
The children were subjected to a strict military routine, beatings, starvation, and psychological abuse. They were not allowed to be individual or form friendships. Bedwetting was severely punished. The older children were forced to participate in punishing the younger ones. Anne would threaten them with knives and welding torch burns.
Starvation and Drugs
The children were weighed daily, and those who gained weight were severely beaten. One girl, Cassandra, became so malnourished that she could barely walk. The children were also given LSD, turning them into docile, empty shells. The girls were harshly judged for their bodies and threatened with cancerous tumors.
Expanding the Cult and Growing Suspicion
In the 1980s, Anne expanded the cult worldwide, buying properties in various countries and traveling to recruit new members. She would parade the children to impress potential recruits. However, suspicions began to grow. A missing child was blamed on the cult, leading to a police search of Uptop, but the children were hidden in a secret space.
Rebellion and Escape
The children, now teenagers, began to rebel, breaking into houses for food and making friends outside the cult. Anne kicked out Sarah, who then went to the police with Leanne. The police raided Uptop, rescuing the children and arresting the aunties. Anne and Bill fled to New York.
Aftermath and Justice Denied
The children were in terrible condition, malnourished and brainwashed. Cassandra weighed only 20 kg and suffered from psychosocial short stature. The Australian social services did an incredible job rehabilitating the children. Anne and Bill were eventually extradited back to Australia, but Anne was only charged with conspiracy to defraud for forging birth certificates and received a mere $5,000 fine.
The Aftermath and the Children's Lives
The cult continued even after the trial. Sarah wrote a book about her experiences. Anne died in 2019 at the age of 98, leaving her millions to the remaining cult members. Despite the trauma, many of the children managed to turn their lives around, reconnect with family, and find success. However, some struggled with addiction and mental health issues, and Sarah passed away at the age of 46 due to heart failure.
Introduction to the Workers Institute Cult
The video transitions to a British cult called the Workers Institute, led by Aravindan Balakrishnan, also known as Balor. The content creator expresses shock that such a cult could operate in plain sight in the middle of London for over 30 years. The video will discuss extreme abuse, manipulation, brainwashing, and sexual abuse, including abuse of a baby.
Balor's Early Life and Arrival in the UK
Aravindan Balakrishnan was born in Kerala, India, on July 16, 1940. He moved to Singapore at age 10 and was described as extremely intelligent. His mother told him he possessed supernatural powers and was possessed by the occult, which he came to believe. At 23, he arrived in the UK on a scholarship.
Radical Communism and the Workers Institute
In the UK, Balor became involved in school politics and radical communism, following the teachings of Mao. He believed the UK was turning into a fascist state and that a revolution was needed. He joined political organizations but was kicked out for his extreme views. He then started his own organization called the Workers Institute.
The Brixton Headquarters and Balor's Rules
Balor set up a headquarters in Brixton, London, where about 25 loyal followers lived. He enforced a strict rule that men and women must sleep in separate rooms and that only he was allowed to have sex. The group was hostile to neighbors, and Balor was imprisoned for two months after attacking a neighbor with a meat cleaver.
Going Underground and the Collective
After being released from prison, Balor decided to go underground, moving into a house given to them by the local council. He told his followers to cut off all ties with family and friends and to leave the house as little as possible. Eight women, including his wife Chanda and a key follower named Shawn, moved in with him.
Brainwashing and Manipulation
Balor brainwashed the women, creating an "us against the world" mentality and giving them a sense of purpose. He told them he was God, the ruler of the world, and possessed mind control. He claimed responsibility for every war, the splitting of the atom, and the moon landing. He introduced a made-up character named Jackie, an all-powerful invisible computer that only he could control.
Katie's Birth and Project Prem
One of the women, Shawn, became pregnant and gave birth to Katie. Balor introduced "Project Prem," deciding that Katie would be raised in isolation, without love or outside influences, to remain pure. She was never allowed to know who her parents were and was raised collectively by the group.
Katie's Isolated Childhood
Katie was never allowed to be comforted, visit doctors, or go outside. She was told that everyone outside the house was a member of the British state who wanted to kill her. At age 4, Balor threw her outside as punishment, causing her to have a panic attack.
The Strict Schedule and Violence
Katie and the women lived under a strict schedule that included daily lectures, singing, writing, and chores. They were beaten for minor transgressions. Katie was forced to wear genderless clothing and was not allowed to daydream or giggle. Shawn, Katie's mother, often turned her in for breaking rules.
Escape Attempts and Suspicious Deaths
Two members, Leanne and Cindy, eventually escaped the cult. In 1996, Shawn began to question Balor and was found with a broken neck after falling from a window. Her death was ruled an accident. Four years later, another woman, O, died after Balor refused to let her see a doctor for a head injury.
Katie's Final Escape and Balor's Arrest
In her 20s, Katie began to question the world around her. She had a brief relationship with a neighbor, Rody, but Balor beat her and caused her to miscarry. In 2013, at age 30, Katie and another woman, Josie, saw a domestic abuse helpline number on TV and called for help. The police rescued Katie, Josie, and Aisha and arrested Balor.
Trial and Aftermath
Balor was charged with child cruelty, false imprisonment, rape, and indecent assaults and sentenced to 23 years in prison. The suspicious deaths of Shawn and O were never investigated. Katie has rebuilt her life, gotten an education, reconnected with her grandmother, and published a book about her experiences. Aravindon Balakrishnan died in prison in 2022.
