Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s one thing Netflix’s ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’ makes evident, it’s that the 51-day standoff between the federal government and the Branch Davidians cult was nothing short of horrific. After all, owing to the way religious leader David Koresh handled the situation, it led to the loss of 86 largely innocent lives; 4 ATF agents as well as 82 group members, including 28 young children. Though the most odious aspect is the fact a majority of his family was among these victims — so now, if you simply wish to learn more about them, we have got the necessary details for you.
Koresh’s Family: 1 Legal Wife, 19 Partners, 15 Kids
Although David had only joined the world of Branch Davidians in 1981 at the age of 22, he was able to convince its then-leader Lois Roden he had the exceptional gift of prophecy within two years. He was thus even allowed to begin teaching his new light message to the sect, just to soon allege God had chosen him to father a child by Lois despite her being a late-60-year-old widower. Yet, it’s imperative to note he’d already had an involvement with a 15-year-old resulting in pregnancy when he was 19, and at 25, he announced there was a need for him to marry Rachel Jones.
Rachel was merely 14 when David actually proposed their union, but her long-time faithful family reportedly agreed to it without any issues, leading to her becoming his first and only legal wife. The couple then welcomed three adorable children into their lives; Cyrus Joseph Howell (March 20, 1985), Star Hadassah Howell (April 6, 1987), and Bobbie Layne Koresh (December 14, 1991). However, by the time their youngest was born, the head had already unwound his teachings not just to take other partners but also to abolish the entire concept of marriage for every member.
According to the documentary series, toward the late 1980s, David had a “revelation he was supposed to have other wives. At first, he took single girls, but then the revelation evolved, and he was supposed to dissolve all the marriages of all his followers and take their wives [if he wanted them].” He hence ostensibly had at least 19 other domestic spouses, with whom he fathered around 14 kids — yet the most shocking facet remains that most of these “wives” were underage girls. In fact, as per reports, he went as criminally young as 10 in his “brides,” but they were all loyal Branch Davidians.
Unfortunately, not every single one of David’s partner’s or child’s names is known, but a former follower did clarify that his “justification for taking all of the women for himself was theological… He’s the one that had the power, he’s the one that had the authority to ‘give the seed’… It’s sick and it’s perverted.” So the identities we do know for the former are Michele Marie Jones Thibodeau (Rachel’s sister), Dana Okimoto, Nicole Elizabeth Gent Little, Sherri Jewell, Kiri Jewell (Sherri’s daughter plus the 10-year-old “wife”), Neva Walkoviak, Robyn Bunds, Aisha Gyarfas-Summers, and Katherine Grace Andrade, among others.
As for David’s known children, apart from Cyrus, Star, as well as Bobbie, he had Sky Okimoto, David Lord Gent, Dayland Lord Gent, Serenity Sea Jones, Mayanah Songbird Schneider, Latwan “Little One” Jones, Chica Jones, Startle Summers, Pages Kara Brittani, Chanel Andrade, and Baby Summers. Yet sadly, most of them passed away in the tragic April 19, 1993, fire that burned down their entire community of Mt. Carmel Center in Texas to ultimately end the 51-day standoff — only four of the leader’s kids survived as they were luckily not even at the compound, resulting in them becoming his legal heirs in every sense.
Read More: Kathy Schroeder: Where is the Branch Davidian Member Now?
