Ruby Jessop (born May 3, 1986) is an American former member of the

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (abbreviated to FLDS Church or FLDS) is a Mormon fundamentalist group whose members practice polygamy. It is variously defined as a cult, a sect or a new religious movement. The ...

(FLDS) and child bride known for her family connections, her 2013 escape from an FLDS-controlled polygamous community, and the criminal probe prompted by her escape. Ruby is the sister of author and ex-FLDS member

Flora Jessop Flora Jessop (born 1969) is an American social activist, author, and advocate for abused children. Biography Jessop was born and raised in Colorado City, Arizona. She was raised in a polygamous family, with two mothers and twenty-seven siblings, ...

. In Flora's book, ''Church of Lies'', she recounts how, as a fourteen-year-old, Ruby called her asking to help her escape after learning that she was to be married off to her second cousin and step-brother, Haven Barlow. Flora writes that while the authorities were contacted, they were unable to locate Ruby as she was being moved from place to place to avoid contact with Flora. FLDS Prophet

Warren Jeffs Warren Steed Jeffs (born December 3, 1955) is an American cult leader who is serving a life sentence in Texas for child sexual assault following two convictions in 2011. He is the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter ...

officiated at the wedding of 14-year-old Ruby and Barlow, who was then in his mid-20s. When the two were married, this made Barlow her brother-in-law, second cousin, step-brother and husband. The intermarrying of Fundamentalist Mormon members is very common, as families have many members and only people inside the faith are deemed marriageable. This can result in inbreeding and can cause genetic defects. After Ruby's escape, a press conference was held by

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

Tom Horne Thomas Charles Horne (born March 28, 1945) is an American politician, attorney, businessman, and activist who has served as the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2023 and previously from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican P ...

with Ruby and her sister Flora to announce not only the escape, but a probe into the alleged FLDS practice of holding women against their will and an investigation of the police force in Colorado City. Ruby has appeared on ''

Katie Couric Katherine Anne Couric ( ; born January 7, 1957) is an American journalist and presenter. She is founder of Katie Couric Media, a multimedia news and production company. She also publishes a daily newsletter, ''Wake Up Call''. Since 2016, she ha ...

'', ''

Oprah Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', broadcast from Chic ...

'', '' Anderson Cooper: 360°'', '' Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey'', and appears in

Jon Krakauer Jon Krakauer (born April 12, 1954) is an American writer and mountaineer. He is the author of bestselling nonfiction books—'' Into the Wild''; '' Into Thin Air''; '' Under the Banner of Heaven''; and '' Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pa ...

's non-fiction book '' Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith''. Ruby is cousin-by-marriage of

Carolyn Jessop Carolyn Jessop (born January 1, 1968) is an American author and former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member who wrote '' Escape'', an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later fligh ...

, author of the ''New York Times'' Best Seller ''Escape'' and ex-FLDS member. She is a relative of Winston Blackmore, the leader of a Canadian polygamous group, and also his uncle John Horne Blackmore, first leader of what became the

Social Credit Party of Canada The Social Credit Party of Canada (), colloquially known as the Socreds, was a populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform. It was the federal wing of the Canadian social credit movement. Origins ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jessop, Ruby 1987 births American activists Former Latter Day Saints Living people Mormonism-related controversies Former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Mormon fundamentalists