Mothers were starving their children: Lev Tahor cult members protest outside Guatemala facility

Members of the Lev Tahor cult staged a protest Thursday outside welfare facilities in Guatemala, where more than 200 children, teenagers, and women have been housed since being rescued from the extremist group's compound last month.

The demonstrators aimed to pressure welfare authorities, who had separated mothers from their children following reports of severe neglect and abuse.

Guatemalan officials said the decision to separate families was made out of necessity. Cult leaders allegedly instructed mothers to starve their children unless the food provided matched the group's strict dietary rules. "Welfare officials decided to separate all children from their mothers after discovering the leaders had smuggled phones into the facility to dictate how the mothers should treat their children," a source familiar with the situation said.

Reports indicate children were told to refuse food such as fruits and vegetables, leaving them malnourished as part of a strategy to pressure authorities. “The children were instructed to harm themselves and starve to create leverage over the government,” the source added.

Authorities are particularly concerned about the children’s physical and mental health. “The children’s health is dire,” said a welfare official. The cult allegedly sought to manipulate the food supply to ensure it adhered to their strict rules, raising fears that leaders might attempt to tamper with the food by introducing substances designed to weaken or incapacitate the children.

According to officials, the situation escalated due to alleged threats from cult leaders, who reportedly instructed mothers to harm their children if the government intervened or if, as the leaders phrased it, “the Zionists” attempted to rescue them. "Some mothers have been brainwashed by the leadership and coerced into abusive behavior," a source said.

In previous letters circulated by Lev Tahor leaders, members were encouraged to sacrifice their lives in certain circumstances. Welfare officials remain on high alert, emphasizing the need to protect the children from further harm while addressing the extreme indoctrination within the group.

The ongoing crisis has cast a harsh spotlight on Lev Tahor’s practices and the complex challenges of rescuing and rehabilitating victims of extremist cults.