A trans-woman, Yaya DeCloud, has come forward to share her harrowing experience of escaping an evil cult led by her father, Nelson DeCloud, who not only kidnapped but also sexually assaulted fellow members. Yaya, now 42 years old, was born as a male on December 14, 1981, and spent her early years confined to a compound known as the ‘DeCloud family.’ The group, consisting of 30 individuals, rarely interacted with the outside world.
Nelson DeCloud, a former police officer and spiritual leader of the cult, exploited his position to satisfy his own sexual desires. However, justice caught up with him, and he was sentenced to a 220-year prison term for his crimes, including kidnapping, felonious restraint, rape, and forcible sodomy. He passed away in 2014 while incarcerated at the Southeast Correctional Center in Missouri.
Yaya reveals that her father manipulated the community using religious teachings, even continuing to exert control from behind bars. She managed to escape the cult in December 2000, along with her sister, after enduring physical and emotional abuse within the commune. Yaya describes her father as a strict and temperamental person, who would explode in anger over the slightest mistake.
Life within the DeCloud community was tough and strictly regulated, but it was the only reality Yaya and her family knew. Her father aimed to maintain an impeccable image for “The Family,” using the Bible as a tool for manipulation and control. Yaya acknowledges that her father genuinely believed in his actions, having been raised in a Southern Baptist family with a preacher grandfather in Kansas City.
Despite Nelson’s imprisonment, he managed to maintain influence over the family through coded letters and phone calls with Yaya’s mother and grandmother. The family used a pager code sheet to communicate and warn each other of potential dangers, as cell phones were not yet prevalent. Yaya and her siblings were also denied the opportunity to have friends, further isolating them from the outside world.
In December 2000, Yaya and her two sisters gathered $40 from their weekly allowance and made their escape. With the help of a friend in California, they secured a hotel in Jefferson City, Missouri. Leaving heartfelt letters behind, they bid farewell to their family members and embarked on a treacherous journey, slipping and falling on icy roads. Eventually, they reached their destination with the assistance of a waiting taxi.
Yaya had the chance to visit her father in prison before his death in 2014. Despite the pain he caused, she expressed her love for him during their final meeting. The family gathered to say their goodbyes, forming a circle to pray for him one last time before parting ways.
Following her father’s passing and the end of her marriage, Yaya embraced her true identity as a trans-woman in 2019. She now lives her life authentically and happily, cherishing the freedom she has found.
1 Response
This is such a heartbreaking and courageous story. It’s truly horrifying to think that someone’s own family member could be capable of such heinous acts. Yaya DeCloud’s bravery in speaking out about her experience is commendable and will hopefully bring attention to the issue of cults and the abuse that can occur within them.
It’s important to remember that cults can exist in various forms and can manipulate and control individuals in unimaginable ways. This story serves as a reminder to be vigilant and aware