Who is Debby Hopkins and what happened to her? All about the victim from How I Escaped My Cult

Debby Hopkins, a member of the House of Yahweh, made her journey from a devotee to a free woman after twenty years with the group. The House of Yahweh was known to be a sect of people who enforced strict obligations and cult-like practices on their members and denied them necessities such as medical care.

Debby Hopkins lives to be a free woman now. Episode 10 of season 1 of How I Escaped My Cult showcases the inner workings of the House of Yahweh and how Debby made her way out of it. The official synopsis of the episode, titled The House of Yahweh, reads,

"Debby flees House of Yahweh and its cruel leader."

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How did Debby Hopkins leave the House of Yahweh?

The House of Yahweh was founded by Yisrayl Hawkins and was based out of Eula, Texas. The leaders of the House of Yahweh were known to encourage abusive practices and harmful treatment of its members. In 1993, Debby and her boyfriend Kenny were residents of South Carolina.

They encountered flyers that promoted the House of Yahweh the same year. Being spiritually inclined as a person, Kenny was drawn to their teachings and went on a quest to find himself through them. The couple decided to relocate to Eula, Texas, and they joined the community thereafter.

While Debby was surprised to find the community welcoming and warm at first, she found a sense of belonging among the members of the community. However, things started to change as she noticed stringent rules being imposed on the members of the community.

Not only were the members segregated and discriminated against, but they were also prohibited from interacting with one another. The members of the House of Yahweh were isolated from the outside world. They were restricted from approaching medical staff and, thus, denied medical attention despite suffering.

The leader of the House of Yahweh, Yisrayl Hawkins, maintained control over the members while they were subjected to physical, emotional, and mental abuse. According to CBS News, the women in the House of Yahweh were dressed in long skirts and long-sleeved shirts. Polygamy was encouraged as most children within the community had the same fathers but different mothers.

Kenny had suggested a polygamous relationship after having sought reassurance of acceptance from the community. Debby Hopkins wished to leave the marriage hearing the news but was physically assaulted and forced to stay in it.

Debby recounted one of her most terrifying memories as she saw a mother perform surgery on her daughter. Debby was asked to deliver a brown bag to the room where the unauthorized medical procedure was going on. She reportedly shared that the mother had mistakenly severed one of the daughter's arteries, leading to her death.

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Where is Debby Hopkins now?

Debby Hopkins's decision to leave the House of Yahweh was not overnight. After multiple incidents, her desire to leave the community grew stronger. She grabbed the car keys and left while Kenny chased her one fine day. She was threatened by Kenny, who said that he would find her and kill her.

She chose to move on with her life despite it all. However, Debby mentions that she is disappointed that the cult continues to exist. She now lives as a free woman.

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Catch all the details of Debby Hopkins's journey as How I Escaped My Cult streams on Hulu currently.