Carolyn Jessop

Carolyn Jessop was born in 1968 into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a splinter-group from the Mormon church. At 18 she was forced into an arranged marriage with Merril Jessop, a man 32 years her senior. During her 17-year marriage Carolyn had 8 children, withstood psychological abuse from her husband and his 6 other wives and was denied the right to make any decisions for herself. She escaped in 2003 with all 8 of her children and $20 to her name. In 2006 her...See more

Carolyn Jessop was born in 1968 into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a splinter-group from the Mormon church. At 18 she was forced into an arranged marriage with Merril Jessop, a man 32 years her senior. During her 17-year marriage Carolyn had 8 children, withstood psychological abuse from her husband and his 6 other wives and was denied the right to make any decisions for herself. She escaped in 2003 with all 8 of her children and $20 to her name. In 2006 her testimony played a crucial part of the case that led to the conviction of the notorious cult leader Warren Jeffs. Carolyn lives in Utah with her children. See less