'Children of Waco' Speak Out
April 15 -- Nearly 10 years to the day that the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, went up in flames — killing 75 people, including 25 children — ABCNEWS' Charles Gibson interviews seven children who escaped the horror in an hourlong report on this week's Primetime Thursday, airing at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
Brought together for the first time, they share stories of the bizarre world created by cult leader David Koresh and discuss living with the realization that their parents were willing to abandon them to follow Koresh to their graves. In addition, these survivors confront the former FBI agent who was in charge of the failed negotiations with Koresh — the first time someone involved in the siege has agreed to meet with them face to face.
Primetime will also air never-before-seen footage of the children's disturbing therapy sessions from 1993, which demonstrate the eerie effectiveness of Koresh's brainwashing techniques.
The seven survivors tell Gibson life in the compound was horrific. Physical abuse was a common occurrence, and there was no running water or indoor plumbing, they say. No attempt was made to provide the children with an education.
"When I left at age 18, I probably had an eighth-grade education," says Brad Borst.
In fact, Koresh made sure they were completely isolated from the outside world. Koresh brainwashed the children into thinking everyone outside of the cult was evil, and he prepared them for what he described as a final battle that would end the world and bring them eternal glory. Koresh threatened to kill the children after his resurrection if they helped the "bad guys."
Kiri Jewell, now 22, says she was sexually abused by Koresh when she was 10 years old and groomed to be his youngest wife — with her mother's consent.
The memories of life with Koresh are still vivid in her mind. "He never was very specific, but at some point we were gonna have to die for him," Jewell, now a student at Michigan State University, tells Gibson. "I didn't expect to live past 12."
Related Stories
ABC News Live