Layla Matson was born into a deeply entrenched, multi-generational polygamist FLDS family with direct ties to church leadership. From a young age, her life was shaped by strict religious expectations, economic hardship, and normalized control, ranging from modesty rules and limited education to chiId labor and rigid gender roles. Sacrifice was emphasized, while serious issues like infant de*ths, lack of medical care, and emotional suppression were widespread but rarely questioned. Layla’s her story took a dark turn at 17 years old when her father “turned her in” to Warren Jeffs, leading to her forced marriage within 24 hours to the “prophet”. She reflects on the grooming process that began in her early teens, illustrating how young women were coerced into marriages and stripped of autonomy under the guise of faith. Watch pt 2 of Layla's interview: https://youtu.be/d03N0vxn5T0 Watch our full interview with Jude Bateman, Sam's sister: https://youtu.be/o9z9YdSzL8A?si=6RtMHV3p1A7RrnT_ Find and Support Layla! TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@layla_ex_ofwarrenjeffs YouTube: youtube.com/@LaylaMatson Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:04 Layla's chiIdhood & family 00:14:05 CW: Miscarr*age, Family dynamics 00:19:28 Medical neglect in the FLDS 00:25:21 Progressively stricter rules among the FLDS 00:28:58 Layla's father turning her over to Warren 00:46:13 Getting married to Warren 00:51:50 Getting married to Warren (cont.) 01:00:20 Sewing her own wedding dress 01:02:39 After the wedding 01:11:08 Final thoughts & Linda listen **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**