Children of the Raid

The documentary centers on the lived experiences of the children who were taken into state custody during the famous June 22, 1984, Island Pond raid in Vermont.  Also interviewed were officials involved in the raid.

In the early 1980s, the Twelve Tribes (then known as the Northeast Kingdom Community Church) faced intense scrutiny from state officials and ex-members regarding allegations of harsh child discipline and unapproved home education.  

On June 22, 1984, ninety Vermont State Police officers and fifty state social workers executed a predawn raid on the community's homes in Island Pond, seizing 112 children.  That same evening, Judge Frank Mahady ruled the search warrant unconstitutional and dismissed the case, noting that the state lacked specific evidence of individual abuse and had detained the children illegally. All 112 children were returned to their parents immediately. 

(revised 2026) A note was added to the original mentioning that some of the 'children of the raid' are no longer with the Twelve Tribes.