In 2005, a new coworker of mine called in to the office and said she was going to be late due to a family crisis. I did not know her very well, but when she got to work around noon, she proceeded to break down and tell me why she had been late that day. Her partner had been best friends with Ricky Rodriguez. I had never heard of the Children of God in any great detail, though I was aware that River Phoenix’s family had been affiliated with some sort of upsetting cult in his childhood. My coworker proceeded to tell me in great detail of the contents of the video tape confession they had received that morning from Ricky Rodriguez. He had shot the video and then murdered his former nanny, as you mentioned earlier this video, then taking his own life. I believe she told me that he said that he was copying the tape and sending it to a few individuals and maybe the news. My coworker’s partner, utterly devastated, called the police, and they subsequently found Rodriguez and his victim. She was mortified to hear what he had endured in that video and couldn’t help but tell me about it in great detail, her tears bubbling over uncontrollably as I hugged her in the break room. Almost 20 years later, I have never been able to shake how eerie and horrific my small window into these events was that day. My heart still hurts for all the victims of this horrific cult.

As a mother, it’s infuriating that parents would subject their children to this abuse. Disgusting.

I hope that delving into these cults isn't too damaging on the team's mental health. It's difficult seeing Joyce near tears so often this episode. Take care of yourselves!

I grew up in a religious cult and feel so much for those who cannot escape them. For those who can and did escape them, I am so proud of you!

This is so horrifying. And I had no idea how many celebrities were involved

I love and respect this series so much because you guys actually talk to survivors and experts and have real opinions. I truly think this series will help other ppl who have been in these situations or maybe even currently are in a cult looking for a out so ty to whoever came up with this series I never miss one

One of the most disturbing cults that I’ve ever heard of! 😭

I think that it's incredible how you can joke around and laugh but still be respectfull and somber towards the victims and survivors of cults. It's truly comendable, you two are doing an amazing job. Creating awareness of how cult leaders bait people and how easy it is to accidentaly or intentionaly end up in one.

I’ve always loved Merle’s and Joyce’s contents, they make great hosts and content producers on buzzfeed. Probably watched all Merle’s vegan recipes and basically at this point, anything with Joyce in it. Really into the idea of them teaming up and carrying BUN with this series. But I have to give it to them specifically that their grounded personalities carry these difficult topics in a very safe way. They’re set up with the open mindedness with embracing survivors from the get go and watching them uncandidly empathizing with the people in the cults brings something I rarely see in other programs/videos about cults, especially ones in youtube. They tend to be just informative/detached, or sensationalize them, but Joyce and Merle make it feel as if you’re watching a thorough documentary with friends and you share this beautiful human moment with them hoping that people heal, and it’s probably a healing process you share with these friends too. I hope to see this series thrive as a new hit on BUN, especially with how victim and empathy focused they are.

Whenever you guys cry, I cry. I think we are all crying.

13:47 when you realize that Ryan and Shane tried to contact River Phoenix in a previous Buzzfeed Unsolved episode - Hollywood Legends of the Viper Room. 😢

Thanks for sharing your trauma with us. I hope you have found peace.

It’s wild that BuzzFeed laid off Merle and will still air this. I really hope Joyce wasn’t laid off!

Thank you for making this very informative piece. I joined the group when I was 16, and got out 21 years later. I think Faith hit the nail on the head when she said we sacrificed everything and came out with nothing. So true. Aside from having to deal with survival, which is a whole tale of its own, I also had this great hunger to learn after leaving. The sad part is that the Family has never paid for their crimes. By the way, the central leadership made a lot of money off of us. We lived in squallor. They lived like kings.

merle and joyce r literal angels

Poor Ricky. Watch the tape he made before he went to murder that lady. My break just breaks for him.

Speechless. Omg wow

THE River Phoenix was part of this???? Wow… speechless. It makes sense why his life was so awful :(

Was not expecting to hear river phoenix!

This is so horrifying

I was only still watching this channel because of Merle and Joyce but now that you've fired them, I'm unsubscribing after this series is over.

For your RLM fans this is the group that made the SOS video.

I like the fact that you didn't go into much details about the children abuse, because I heard them before and it's wayyyy worst than you can all imagine 🤢

Comic books!! You just reminded me!! Pope John Paul II came to Australia when I was in primary school. My parents, being traditional Catholics, took my brothers and me to see him. The church had "souvenir" type stuff that one could buy, one which was a comic book which was the story of the pope's life. My mum got it for me and it's been YEARS since I thought of that comic book 😅 I wonder where that comic ended up, I'd love to see it now as an adult (especially as I'm not in the least religious!)

Interesting case

ty

So many awful things in the name of religion.

Your intro card about the number for the lifeline is missing the final digit. People will not be able to call for help.

Why can’t I watch this?? UKposts keeps skipping it.

Oh god

When I click on this, I get redirected elsewhere. Comments are from 6 months ago.

“It’s giving Manson💅” ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Creepy

I promise I'm not a cult leader

Heyo

Video came out 2 minutes ago and still has almost no interactions. Buzzfeed down bad.

"Seminating" not inseminating. For whatever reason.

Aww hell nah I miss Ryan and Shane 😅😂😂😂😂

you gotta do a video of mh370 🙏

3:14 which is crazy cuz Jews are similar to Christian’s also Jesus was Jewish…

Nah stop I live in HB

He did not create teens for Christ his teenagers began working with them teens for Christ still exists in California he did not create it

Merle looks like she doesn't know what she's doing in 5:05 mark. lol

Jack the ripper

Rose McGowan from charmed TV series grew up in the Cult and someone from the group recruited her father to make illustrations for the comic book and one of them had to do with the idea kids and sex wanting to be drawn and she loosely says that's when they got out of the cult and she can or recalled handing out flyers the flirty fishy series in France and having to collect the USA version of pennies and coins for food Joaquin Phoenix Family was a different name at the time They were in it He's known for his role was playing Johnny Cash in the Walk of line movie The arquettes Patricia David Alex and another arquette I can't remember her name Patricia arquette is known for the show medium Alex is a transgendered woman she also played as a as his birth form man as the goth lover of Chucky's bride movie these are all a part of the children of God cult because their parents were in it

It’s interesting when she talks about sex education at 10:50’ , because it almost sounds like what’s happening today in some schools. There a depth of sex education and age appropriateness that it’s being crossed to favor some groups. That’s damaging and has consequences. I’m glad some states are banning certain books and subjects, and setting a certain age group for that education which should never be under 10 years old.

Wow this was so... DIGUSTING

"Picture this kiddos" If you hadn't realised it was buzzfeed yet. Have some decency.

As much as I enjoyed this epsiode (as always), I really think that Buzzfeed & YT need to back off from their constant, obnoxious warnigs about "suicide and self-harm," which are not only annoying to see every few minutes, but actively interfere with the viewing of this video! You see, I put this vid in a short playlist, and despite repeatedly clicking on the "I wish to continue" button, YT skipped over this video more than half a dozen times before they would let me watch, and then only when I clicked on the video straight away! We're all GROWNUPS here, people, and we don't need this constant hand-holding and "protection" from learning about controversial topics.

The narrator's voice is so hard to listen to...

The forced crying is too much 😂 such an edit cut between try hard gen z quotes with played tears I don't respect the hosts :/ Calling someone making a cartoon of themselves narcissistic? Jesus christ