The mother who forced her 5 children to breed — until they chained her up in the “breeding” barn.

In the spring of 1885, neighbors began noticing strange changes in the McKenna home. Sarah Whitmore, whose property adjoined the McKennas, wrote letters to her sister detailing how the once-ever-present McKenna children had seemingly disappeared from public life. The eldest sons, Thomas and Jacob, who had previously enthusiastically participated in community barn-building celebrations and harvest festivals, had vanished. When questioned about this, Delilah calmly explained that God had revealed to her the need to keep her children completely separate from the spiritual decay of other families.

Meanwhile, Daniel Hayes, the owner of the local general store, was noting some disturbing behavior in his ledger. Delilah’s purchasing habits had changed dramatically. A typical farm family bought seeds, flour, and basic tools. Delilah, however, had begun ordering massive quantities of heavy rope, industrial metal chains, and large padlocks—items she claimed were for livestock. Even more alarming was her constant purchase of laudanum, a powerful liquid opioid, which she insisted was necessary to treat her children’s supposed ailments. Hayes noted in the margin of his ledger that, on the few occasions he had glimpsed the McKenna children from afar, they appeared to be in perfect health. Nevertheless, Delilah continued to purchase enough medical supplies to set up a small infirmary, even ordering restraints and obstetric instruments.

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When Hayes cautiously questioned these rather unusual catalog orders, Delilah casually replied that God was preparing her family for a “special calling” that required absolute self-sufficiency.

Behind the closed doors of the McKenna farmhouse, that “special calling” was taking on a monstrous form. Years later, when investigators finally broke into the farmhouse, they discovered Delilah’s private diaries hidden beneath the floorboards of her bedroom. These diaries, dating back to 1887, reveal a woman who had become completely convinced that a divine mandate justified an absolute atrocity. Delilah wrote extensively about her eldest son, Thomas, not as a child, but as a means through which she would establish a pure lineage.

His jagged handwriting detailed the systematic and chilling modifications he was making to the family barn. He wasn’t preparing stables for horses or cattle; he was building a facility for human reproduction. His notes contained meticulous diagrams for locking mechanisms, fertility cycle calculations, and chilling instructions on how to properly restrain unwilling participants.

The community’s last chance ever to see the McKenna children as free individuals occurred during a brutal blizzard in the winter of 1889. The Fletcher family, stranded in the blinding snow, sought refuge on the McKenna property. As they approached the farmhouse, they heard unexplained noises coming from the barn: the unmistakable clanking of heavy chains mixed with muffled screams. Before they could investigate, Delilah opened the door onto the porch, brandishing a loaded shotgun. She coldly declared that her children were suffering from a highly contagious fever and forced the terrified neighbors to abandon her property.