The Ant Hill Kids.

The Ant Hill Kids.

In 1979, the former Seventh-Day Adventist and soon to be cult leader, Roch Thériault, believed the ultimate battle between good and evil was coming and decided to form his own commune safe from the upcoming war in the Canadian wilderness. Naming themselves The Ant Hill Kids after the ant-like hard work carried out by its members, Theriault encouraged his followers to give up their families and possessions and live a free life under his teachings and "philosophies". 

The power soon went to Theriault’s head and he became sadistic, torturing his followers and marrying and impregnating all the women under his control, and consequently fathering over 20 children by nine different women. 

He would also physically and sexually abuse his children, carry out surgery on those who disobeyed him, often with kitchen utensils, and was responsible for the deaths of a number of followers. 

Theriault’s reign of terror came to an end in 1989 after one of the women escaped (after having her arm hacked off) and went to the police.

 Theriault was sentenced to life imprisonment and was murdered by his cellmate in 2011.