Thursday, October 8, 2026

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Child Abuse

New details emerge in abuse case involving author Heather Thompson Day and husband

October 8, 2026 at 1:03 AM MT · via ChurchLeaders · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

New details emerge in abuse case involving author Heather Thompson Day and husband
Image via ChurchLeaders

New court filings in the case of Christian author and former BYU instructor Heather Thompson Day and her husband Seth Day reveal additional details about allegations they subjected their adopted children to severe physical and emotional abuse as part of attachment therapy, according to charging documents reported by ChurchLeaders. Prosecutors say the Days withheld food, forced children to sleep on bathroom floors, and subjected them to hours of restraint while being berated, all under the guidance of therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, who was also involved in the Ruby Franke case. The Days have pleaded not guilty. Heather Thompson Day was a popular speaker and author in evangelical and Latter-day Saint circles before her arrest. The case has drawn comparisons to the Franke case and raised questions about the use of extreme attachment-therapy methods that critics say amount to abuse.

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