Stolen Youth - Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just an amazing documentary! I feel bad for all of them. They were all brainwashed. I would have not fallen for this cult. 7-8 people in a cultured one bedroom, uh no way.

That should be cluttered.

Also would not join a cult with ugly clothes, like Heaven’s Gate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an amazing documentary! I feel bad for all of them. They were all brainwashed. I would have not fallen for this cult. 7-8 people in a cultured one bedroom, uh no way.

That should be cluttered.

Also would not join a cult with ugly clothes, like Heaven’s Gate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happened to Talia? She moved back into the dorms while the others were in the apartment but it didn’t say why. And then there was no mention of her until the end credits where she was called a co-conspirator but never charged.

Isabelle plead guilty but how long is she in jail for?

It's mind-blowing to me that Santos, and by extension his siblings, got involved through Santos' romantic relationship with Talia, but then when they broke up she moved back to campus, had a more normal college experience, and graduated. Hard to wrap my mind around how ruined their lives are and his own daughter escaped relatively unscathed.

I would submit that because they got out, their lives are not ruined. Life is long. They are still young.

Maybe ruined is not the right word, but they lost a decade and are facing serious challenges they wouldn't otherwise be facing. Santos didn't graduate and was living in shelters. Felicia didn't finish her residency and is still not practicing medicine (and may never be able to). Isabella has plead guilty to criminal charges. Not to mention all the psychological trauma.

The Rosario’s immigrated here, rose to having their three kids at elite NYC private schools (such as Horace Mann) and universities and then had to suffer this.

[Anonymous]

The Rosario’s immigrated here, rose to having their three kids at elite NYC private schools (such as Horace Mann) and universities and then had to suffer this.

I know it's crushing--all three kids had almost "made it" when Larry Ray trashed everything. It's tragic. I am glad they were all able to reconnect but it's going to be a long journey to anything resembling their previous trajectories and mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The Rosario’s immigrated here, rose to having their three kids at elite NYC private schools (such as Horace Mann) and universities and then had to suffer this.

I know it's crushing--all three kids had almost "made it" when Larry Ray trashed everything. It's tragic. I am glad they were all able to reconnect but it's going to be a long journey to anything resembling their previous trajectories and mental health.

I was happy that the Rosario siblings and Dan were healing. It was such a relief to see.

[Anonymous]

Just finished it. Insanity. It's crazy how easily that shit can happen. I know everyone is saying "that wouldn't happen to me". It's very easy to say that when you haven't been there in that situation. It never goes from complete normal directly to insane cult. It's tiny baby steps that you only realize were baby steps when you are out and able to look back.

Hopefully they can get past what that monster did.

[Anonymous]

This is so heart wrenching. The slow twisting and the psychological manipulation. All of Santos money stuff and how his siblings were brought in. Making Claudia think she had poisoned people and then pimping her out to pay him back. Manipulating people into thinking they did things they did not do and the idea that you don't know what is true and what is false..... Each thing was worse than the last. And those friends who tried to stop it but couldn't break the hold.

Watching Felicia on the videos being so mentally unstable (and someone who had a loving family and multiple degrees), it is the stuff of nightmares. That even far away he was able to twist her to thinking she was being attacked and followed. Unreal.

In some ways, that goodness he was such a psycho and thought these tapes would exonerate him and he made and shared them. I don't think this would be as vivid and real for people without it, but it is wild that he had them.

I don't know what to think about Izzy. She is clearly a victim and clearly manipulated. But she did participate in these things. Can you find someone culpable if they did participate in something because they are so manipulated? [Full disclosure, I have about 30 min left so maybe they discuss this at the end]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so heart wrenching. The slow twisting and the psychological manipulation. All of Santos money stuff and how his siblings were brought in. Making Claudia think she had poisoned people and then pimping her out to pay him back. Manipulating people into thinking they did things they did not do and the idea that you don't know what is true and what is false..... Each thing was worse than the last. And those friends who tried to stop it but couldn't break the hold.

Watching Felicia on the videos being so mentally unstable (and someone who had a loving family and multiple degrees), it is the stuff of nightmares. That even far away he was able to twist her to thinking she was being attacked and followed. Unreal.

In some ways, that goodness he was such a psycho and thought these tapes would exonerate him and he made and shared them. I don't think this would be as vivid and real for people without it, but it is wild that he had them.

I don't know what to think about Izzy. She is clearly a victim and clearly manipulated. But she did participate in these things. Can you find someone culpable if they did participate in something because they are so manipulated? [Full disclosure, I have about 30 min left so maybe they discuss this at the end]

Look up Patty Hearst

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so heart wrenching. The slow twisting and the psychological manipulation. All of Santos money stuff and how his siblings were brought in. Making Claudia think she had poisoned people and then pimping her out to pay him back. Manipulating people into thinking they did things they did not do and the idea that you don't know what is true and what is false..... Each thing was worse than the last. And those friends who tried to stop it but couldn't break the hold.

Watching Felicia on the videos being so mentally unstable (and someone who had a loving family and multiple degrees), it is the stuff of nightmares. That even far away he was able to twist her to thinking she was being attacked and followed. Unreal.

In some ways, that goodness he was such a psycho and thought these tapes would exonerate him and he made and shared them. I don't think this would be as vivid and real for people without it, but it is wild that he had them.

I don't know what to think about Izzy. She is clearly a victim and clearly manipulated. But she did participate in these things. Can you find someone culpable if they did participate in something because they are so manipulated? [Full disclosure, I have about 30 min left so maybe they discuss this at the end]

Look up Patty Hearst

See also, the Manson girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so heart wrenching. The slow twisting and the psychological manipulation. All of Santos money stuff and how his siblings were brought in. Making Claudia think she had poisoned people and then pimping her out to pay him back. Manipulating people into thinking they did things they did not do and the idea that you don't know what is true and what is false..... Each thing was worse than the last. And those friends who tried to stop it but couldn't break the hold.

Watching Felicia on the videos being so mentally unstable (and someone who had a loving family and multiple degrees), it is the stuff of nightmares. That even far away he was able to twist her to thinking she was being attacked and followed. Unreal.

In some ways, that goodness he was such a psycho and thought these tapes would exonerate him and he made and shared them. I don't think this would be as vivid and real for people without it, but it is wild that he had them.

I don't know what to think about Izzy. She is clearly a victim and clearly manipulated. But she did participate in these things. Can you find someone culpable if they did participate in something because they are so manipulated? [Full disclosure, I have about 30 min left so maybe they discuss this at the end]

Look up Patty Hearst

This is the poster you quoted -- can you explain more? She was found guilty, but then her sentence was lowered (from 35 years to 7 years) and then she was presidentially pardoned. I feel like this supports my puzzlement. You CAN hold them responsible (in the legal way) but there does seem to be a reason not to or to recognize their extenuating circumstances. I think I was more speaking, ethically, morally, societally, can / should we hold someone accountable who acts "willingly" because they are so manipulated and brainwashed but they did do the thing and they knew they were doing it. But, they were a victim and would not have acted this way without the manipulation. It feels so tricky and hard and mentally sticky. Wondering what others think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished it. Insanity. It's crazy how easily that shit can happen. I know everyone is saying "that wouldn't happen to me". It's very easy to say that when you haven't been there in that situation. It never goes from complete normal directly to insane cult. It's tiny baby steps that you only realize were baby steps when you are out and able to look back.

Hopefully they can get past what that monster did.

I agree - there but for the grace of God and a little luck go I.
Wishing the survivors all the very best in their recoveries - and that some good can come of this for them and others in some meaningful (for them) ways.

Hope that monster rots in jail. He will probably find a way to manipulate vulnerable inmates as well so even his new cell mates probably need protection from the evil genius.

[Anonymous]

Just finished it also - speechless! Like many others have said, I believe I would be Raven. No, I am SURE I would be Raven.

I just can't understand how (step 1) they didn't think a grown man living in their college housing was weird as hell. It is all so difficult to understand.

The videos...wow. The one where Santos is actually hitting himself, while Felicia is clearly having some sort of breakdown is beyond upsetting. Agree that Felicia is the biggest mystery. Clearly a very smart woman - ironic as hell that she is studying psychiatry!! WTF?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished it also - speechless! Like many others have said, I believe I would be Raven. No, I am SURE I would be Raven.

I just can't understand how (step 1) they didn't think a grown man living in their college housing was weird as hell. It is all so difficult to understand.

The videos...wow. The one where Santos is actually hitting himself, while Felicia is clearly having some sort of breakdown is beyond upsetting. Agree that Felicia is the biggest mystery. Clearly a very smart woman - ironic as hell that she is studying psychiatry!! WTF?

Evil sociopathic genius was a charismatic master of manipulation.

If you think you would have been immune, that is probably a red flag. Normal healthy humans are susceptible to manipulation as part of being human. They were young and at the time there were no similar precedents to have set alarm bells ringing in the early stages when he sucked them into his sick world. I am sure most universities will place much stricter policies, restrictions and oversight for campus housing from now on.

It is crazy weird and tragic.

Yes Felicia’s loss of her life long dream of being a practicing doctor is ironic as well as tragic. Recent interviews with her point to her being a kind and optimistic person at heart. She is the kind of person we need practicing medicine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an amazing documentary! I feel bad for all of them. They were all brainwashed. I would have not fallen for this cult. 7-8 people in a cultured one bedroom, uh no way.

That should be cluttered.

Also would not join a cult with ugly clothes, like Heaven’s Gate.

Oh totally agree; the cult’s clothing and fashion sense would definitely be the deal-breaker for me too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an amazing documentary! I feel bad for all of them. They were all brainwashed. I would have not fallen for this cult. 7-8 people in a cultured one bedroom, uh no way.

That should be cluttered.

Also would not join a cult with ugly clothes, like Heaven’s Gate.

Oh totally agree; the cult’s clothing and fashion sense would definitely be the deal-breaker for me too.

.