Shivangi Sinha
Individuals raised in highly restrictive environments, particularly within insular religious organizations, often find it difficult to adjust to life outside when they choose to leave. Those who have come forward to share their experiences have played an important role in raising awareness and encouraging broader conversations around such environments. In ID’s ‘People Magazine Investigates: The Secrets of the Twelve Tribes Cult,’ Tammy Stern also spoke about her alleged experiences within the Twelve Tribes. She described her life inside the group and reflected on the challenges she faced in ultimately leaving it behind.
Tammy Stern Could Leave the Group With Her Aunt’s Support
Tammy Stern was born in Colorado and raised by her parents within the Twelve Tribes. She said she was still very young when her father was assigned to help lead a branch of the group in Devon, the United Kingdom, and the family relocated there. According to Tammy, she was never enrolled in a formal school, as children in the group were expected to be homeschooled, though she alleged that little structured education actually took place. She also alleged that much of her childhood involved working in group-run businesses, including The Yellow Deli, as well as in farming and other labor-intensive activities. On the show, Tammy described the disciplinary practices of her family as well as the community as what she felt was subjectively harsh.
She recalled only limited contact with relatives outside the group, though during one such visit, an aunt gave her a phone number to keep. On the show, Tammy recounted an alleged instance in which she said that following an unsuccessful attempt to leave, she was allegedly made to kneel and apologize to 40 elders and kept under strict supervision afterward. She claimed that she tried to avoid conflict, but had a serious incident while working with a meat grinder in which her fingers were injured. Tammy stated in the documentary that she felt she did not receive enough support for her wound, implying that the group viewed the accident as a punishment for spiritual failure. According to Tammy, the alleged moment solidified her decision to leave. She later contacted her aunt in secret, and while working at The Yellow Deli, seized the opportunity to leave with her when her aunt arrived to pick her up.
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Tammy Stern is Thriving in an Art and Design College Today
Since leaving the Twelve Tribes, Tammy Stern has been living in Denver and is slowly rebuilding her life. In 2025, she joined the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, where she plans to pursue a career in design and graphic design. To support herself in the initial years, she organized a fundraiser that received strong support, including from other former members of the group. Tammy has accused the organization of being a cult and has spoken openly about her alleged experiences. She now appears to be closer to some members of her family, including her grandmother and aunt, and is gradually finding stability and independence.
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