Dateline: 5 harrowing details about the Circle of Hope Girls Ranch on Secrets Uncovered, explored

The Circle of Hope Girls Ranch case is one of the most devastating stories shown on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered. The case was explored in season 12, episode 10 of the Oxygen show.

Circle of Hope was a boarding school in Humansville, Missouri that was supposed to reform troubled girls. The school's founders, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, promised to use Bible-based methods to help individuals become better persons and grow in life.

However, Boyd and Stephanie were accused of sexual, physical, and mental abuse by multiple students. The couple was eventually arrested when their own daughter came out in support of the victims.

Here are some horrific details about the crimes that occurred on the Circle of Hope Girls Ranch, as seen on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered.

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5 terrifying details about the Circle of Hope Girls Ranch case on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered

1) Allegations of abuse against the school

The Circle of Hope Girls Ranch was opened in July 2006 by Boyd Householder and his wife, Stephanie Householder. Boyd had experience working at reform schools, and the couple claimed they would be using the Bible’s teachings to transform young women with troubled pasts.

However, several students who attended the school have alleged horrific treatment by the founders. Former students, like Ashley Tucker, shared they lived a lonely and terrifying life at the ranch as they were starved, physically abused, and even sexually assaulted by the owners’ son.

Other survivors talked about the gruesome tasks they were punished with, including scrubbing floors with toothbrushes and working outside in extreme heat for hours. Boyd was also accused of physically assaulting the girls.

Some girls alleged he pushed them to the ground and encouraged students to restrain each other. This instilled fear in the students and made life at the school unbearable for many.

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2) Authorities did not act on the complaints for years

Reports of abuse at Circle of Hope started within a year of the school’s opening. As explored in Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, Missouri authorities failed to act despite multiple complaints from parents, students, and even staff.

Federal and state prosecutors dismissed earlier investigations, and Missouri’s Department of Social Services was accused of ignoring all the complaints. At the time, state law allowed religious schools to operate without any proper regulations, and hence, Circle of Hope remained unchecked for a decade.

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3) The Householders’ daughter exposed the abuse

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered shows how Amanda Householder, the daughter of Boyd and Stephanie, grew up at the ranch. She initially thought that it was normal for her father to give harsh punishments to the students. However, she also experienced abuse as she was beaten and forced to stare at a wall for hours.

Years later, Amanda reconnected with former students through social media and learned their disturbing stories. She then took it upon herself to expose her parents and posted a video on TikTok in 2020, revealing everything that went on at Circle of Hope.

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4) A TikTok video sparked action

Amanda’s TikTok video soon gained traction and amassed over 33 million views. In the video, Boyd was seen instructing students to harm another girl by saying, “Knock her out. I mean it.” This led to a social media outrage and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office finally decided to investigate the matter.

In August 2020, authorities removed 24 girls from the school, and the ranch officially closed the next month. In March 2021, Boyd and Stephanie Householder were arrested and charged with more than 100 criminal offenses, including statutory rape, sodomy, and child abuse. However, both denied all the allegations.

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5) Boyd has passed away while Stephanie awaits trial in court

Boyd Householder passed away in June 2024 at age 75 while awaiting trial after suffering from heart and lung problems. His death occurred three months after the airing of his Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode.

Amanda said she was heartbroken for the children who were harmed by him over the years and hoped his passing brought them some peace.

Stephanie, now 61 years old, remains under home confinement and is set to face trial in September 2025. Over the years, more than 15 lawsuits have been filed by former students against her, but she continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered is available to watch on Oxygen.com.