Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch

HUMANSVILLE, MISSOURI 2006–20

Founded by former Agapé staffers Boyd and Stephanie Householder in 2006, Circle of Hope was marketed as an academically rigorous Christian school that would “help each child to become a God-honoring and parent-honoring young person,” but students claimed they were sexually abused, handcuffed, and force-fed. The school caught national attention in 2020, when survivors began posting allegations of abuse on TikTok. The Householders have settled multiple lawsuits brought by victims and face more, including one from daughter Amanda Householder. The couple will face trial for more than 100 counts of felony child crimes. Their lawyer denies the allegations and says “their innocence will prevail.”