Liberty Lost - Episode 4: "Hush, Little Baby"

Release Date: June 30, 2025
Hosted by: TJ Raphael
Podcast Series: Liberty Lost by Wondery

Introduction

In the fourth episode of Liberty Lost titled "Hush, Little Baby," host TJ Raphael delves deeper into the harrowing experiences of young women confined within the Liberty Godparent Home at Liberty University. This installment focuses on the tumultuous moments leading up to and following childbirth, highlighting the emotional and psychological struggles faced by the teens, as well as the coercive practices of the maternity home.

Zoe's Story: A Birth Without Hope

The episode opens with Zoe experiencing her first contraction while still at school, reflecting her internal struggle and fear about her impending delivery.

• Zoe (06:04): "I just wanted to maybe wait as long as I could because I was scared of going to the hospital."

Zoe’s anxiety is palpable as she navigates her contractions secretly until her counselor, Jamie, detects her distress.

• Jamie (06:32): "I'm very unsure about the whole thing."

Despite her pleas, the staff at the Godparent Home initially refuse to take her to the hospital, emphasizing their control over the delivery process.

• Toni (13:05): "Once you start having contractions, they decide when you can go to the hospital."

Eventually, under immense pressure, Zoe's family intervenes, leading to a rushed and chaotic delivery where Zoe is forced to relinquish her baby shortly after birth.

Toni's Struggle: Battling Medical and Institutional Control

Toni, another resident, faces a similarly distressing situation at the age of 13. Her late arrival at the hospital underscores the dangerous delays imposed by the home.

• Toni (14:22): "Childbirth always comes with potential complications, but when you're 13, like Toni, it's especially dangerous."

In the delivery room, Toni grapples with pain and the emotional turmoil of losing her child, Carissa, to adoption despite her desperate desire to keep her baby.

• Toni (16:10): "She put her daughter in my chest... I wanted time to just kind of freeze so that I could enjoy her."

The staff's interference raises questions about the legality and ethics of their actions, highlighting a systematic effort to prevent these young mothers from retaining custody of their children.

Abby's Heartbreaking Departure: A Mother's Loss

The episode poignantly shifts focus to Abby, who faces the most devastating scenario. As she goes into labor, Abby clings to hope that her parents will support her decision to keep her baby. However, the institution's grip proves too strong.

• Abby (21:13): "I just remember holding him and the first thing that pops into my brain is a sand glass timer that represents three days and just deciding that that sand is not going to move."

Despite Abby’s desperate attempts to understand her options and reclaim her parental rights, the adoption process is expedited, leaving her powerless to prevent the loss of her son, Jay.

• Abby (27:28): "I don't want it to be real. I don't want it to be happening."

The emotional climax occurs during the placement ceremony, where Abby and Nathan, another young mother, are forced to watch as their children are handed over to adoptive parents, sealing their heartbreaking separation.

• Abby (40:17): "I just watched them holding him and felt empty inside."

Emotional and Psychological Impact

Throughout the episode, the psychological toll on the young mothers is evident. Abby's inability to handle the loss of her son without support illustrates the deep emotional scars left by the Godparent Home's practices.

• Abby (29:44): "And I ran inside and I just screamed and I wailed and I sobbed like someone who was dying for as long as my body could tolerate it."

The systemic manipulation and lack of genuine support from both the institution and her parents exacerbate Abby’s trauma, leaving her feeling isolated and hopeless.

Conclusion: A Glimmer of Defiance

Despite the overwhelming control exerted by the Godparent Home, Abby's resilience begins to surface towards the end of the episode. Her desperate actions to seek Nathan's help signify the first steps toward resistance against the institution's oppressive system.

• Abby (42:06): "I ran as fast as I could out of my door and up my street in the dark at night. And I called Nathan and I just said, will you come get me?"

This pivotal moment sets the stage for future episodes, promising a narrative of defiance and the quest for autonomy against the backdrop of coercive evangelical practices.

Key Quotes

• Abby on Signing Adoption Papers (27:49): "I don't want it to be real. I don't want it to be happening."

• Toni on Forced Hospital Delivery (13:05): "Adoption, praying that I would make the right decision once my child was born."

• Nathan on Holding Jay (24:43): "We talked about his lips and his ears and his toes and we inspected his whole body together."

• Abby on Emotional Collapse (29:31): "I just collapsed onto the ground."

Production Credits

• Host/Reporter: TJ Raphael
• Senior Producer: Natalie Shisha
• Senior Story Editor: Phyllis Fletcher
• Producer: Rachel Young
• Associate Producer: Maria Dennis
• Additional Production Support: Emily Locke and Malachi Wade
• Fact Checking: Jacqueline Colletti
• Original Score: William Ryan Fritsch
• Sound Design & Mixing: Jamie Cooper
• Audio Assistance: Daniel William Gonzalez
• Sound Supervisor: Marcelina Villalpando
• Music Supervisor: Scott Velasquez for Freeze on Sync
• Managing Producer: Heather Baloga
• Senior Managing Producer: Lata Pandya
• Development Producer: Olivia Weber
• Supervising Development Editor: Rachel B. Doyle
• Executive Producers: N' Jeri Eaton, George Lavender Marshall, Louie and Jen Sargent for Wondery

Looking Ahead

As Liberty Lost continues to unravel the harrowing realities within evangelical maternity homes, "Hush, Little Baby" serves as a crucial episode highlighting the urgent need for systemic change and the voices of those striving to reclaim their autonomy. Stay tuned for the next episode, where Abby and Nathan's journey toward resistance begins to take shape.

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