Ep 14. After the Escape: Broken Family

After the Escape: Broken Family is the fourteenth episode of the second season of Escaping Polygamy. In this episode, viewers follow the story of a woman named Kimberley who escaped from a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) community with her children and husband, but left behind her sister and nephew.

As Kimberley recounts her story to the show's hosts, sisters Andrea, Lorin, and Jessica, viewers learn about the struggles she faced as a member of the FLDS community and her decision to leave. Kimberley talks about how her husband was forced to marry her sister and how the community practices forced marriages, child brides, and child labor. She also discusses how difficult it was to leave her sister and nephew behind, but she felt she needed to rescue her own children from the toxic environment.

The episode then shifts focus to Kimberley's sister, Celeste, who is still living in the FLDS community with her son. The hosts reach out to Celeste and offer her their support and a way out if she is ready to leave. Celeste expresses her desire to leave the community but is hesitant to do so because of her son's relationship with his father, who is also her abusive husband.

Throughout the episode, viewers are given a glimpse into the emotional toll that leaving a polygamous community can take on a family. Kimberley's children struggle to adjust to life outside the community, and Kimberley and her husband grapple with guilt over leaving her sister and nephew behind. The hosts provide emotional support and a listening ear to the family as they navigate this difficult transition.

As the episode comes to a close, viewers are left with a cliffhanger as Celeste contemplates leaving the community with her son. The hosts encourage her to make the best decision for herself and her child, and offer their continued support no matter what path she chooses.

Overall, After the Escape: Broken Family is a poignant episode that showcases the heart-wrenching journey of leaving a polygamous community and the toll it takes on families. The hosts provide a compassionate and empathetic voice throughout the episode, making it clear that anyone seeking to leave a polygamous community has a support system and a way out.