Sins of Our Mother is a disturbing stranger-than-fiction true crime docuseries on Netflix that involves religious fanaticism, numerous unexplained deaths, and the bizarre belief that people can be possessed by evil spirits turning them into zombies.
It examines the case of devout so-called "Doomsday Mom" Lori Vallow, who is currently awaiting trial for the murder of her children, Tylee, 16 and seven-year-old JJ, after being apparently brainwashed by a Mormon cult leader.
But who is Lori Vallow? And what really happened to Tylee and JJ? Here are all your questions about Sins of Our Mother on Netflix answered…
What is Netflix Sins of Our Mother about?
Sins of Our Mother might seem like a far-fetched TV drama, but shockingly it’s all true. It focuses on Lori Vallow, who allegedly killed her two youngest children in September 2019, shortly after moving to be closer to her lover and soon-to-be fifth husband, Mormon cult leader Chad Daybell.
Tylee, 16, and JJ, seven, were reported missing in November 2019 and tragically their bodies were found at Daybell’s home in June the following year.
Vallow’s family believe she was brainwashed by Daybell, who was preparing for an apocalypse and had some fanatical beliefs that people, including Vallow’s children, could be turned into zombies by evil spirits. She and Daybell are currently awaiting trial for murder.
Who is mum Lori Vallow in Sins of Our Mother?
Lori Vallow was brought up in San Bernardino, California, to a family who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church. She was married twice while young and had her first son, Colby Ryan, in 1996 with her second husband, William Lagioia.
In 2002 she went on to have a second child, Tylee, with her third husband, Joseph Ryan, but they split in 2005. A year later she married Charles Vallow and they adopted his grand-nephew, JJ, in 2013.
They seemed like a perfect, happy family, and Colby, who features in the documentary, admits Vallow was a great mum.
But things changed when she became more involved in the church and began reading literature published by the religious preacher Chad Daybell, even adopting his bizarre ideas that some humans, including members of her own family, were possessed by the devil.
She separated from Charles in 2019 after telling everyone he’d been taken over by an evil spirit called Nick Schneider. Charles was later reportedly shot dead by Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, during an altercation, and Vallow married Chad Daybell four months later.
Who is Chad Daybell in Sins of Our Mother?
Chad Daybell is Vallow’s fifth husband. He worked as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until he suffered two near-death experiences that led him to believe he was a prophet with spiritual gifts.
He married his first girlfriend, Tammy, and they had five children. But over time his beliefs became increasingly bizarre and he was convinced he’d end up leading the world following the so-called ‘end of days.’
In October 2019, shortly after Daybell met Vallow at a religious conference, Tammy died in suspicious circumstances aged just 49. Just two weeks later Daybell and Vallow got married at a beachside ceremony in Hawaii.
What were Lori Vallow's religious beliefs in Sins of Our Mother?
It’s complicated! Essentially she and Daybell were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were part of an extreme cult-like spin-off sect preparing for the end of days.
They believed there would be an apocalypse on 22 July 2020 and that only 144,000 righteous followers of Jesus would survive.
As well as that, Daybell believed that humans could be graded from light to dark. The ‘dark’ were possessed by the devil and were essentially zombies, while the ‘light’ were followers of Jesus Christ.
Daybell allegedly convinced Vallow that her children, Tylee and JJ, had become possessed and that the only way to get rid of the evil spirits was to kill their physical bodies.
What happened to Lori Vallow’s youngest children in Sins of Our Mother?
Tylee and JJ were last seen in September 2019, a month after moving from with their mother from Arizona to be closer to Daybell in Rexburg, Idaho. By November other family members, including their older brother, Colby, were seriously concerned for their welfare. After a police investigation they were declared missing on December 20 that year.
In June 2020, police searched Daybell's home in Idaho, where they tragically discovered human remains belonging to Tylee and JJ buried in a shallow grave. But it’s not yet been made public how or where they died.
Who else died in Sins of Our Mother?
Vallow’s ex-husband, Charles Vallow, and Daybell’s first wife, Tammy, both died within three months of each other in 2019. Charles was reportedly shot dead by Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, in July that year after Cox said Charles hit him with a baseball bat.
In October, Daybell’s wife, Tammy, also reportedly died in suspicious circumstances, supposedly of natural causes. There was no autopsy or post-mortem carried out at the time, but her body was later exhumed, although details haven’t been released to the public.
When were Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell charged with murder in Sins of Our Mother?
After disappearing in November 2019, the couple were found living in Hawaii on 26 January 2020. By then Tylee and JJ had been missing for four months. But Vallow initially refused to answer police questions about her missing children.
Eventually, following the gruesome discovery of Tylee and JJ’s bodies at Daybell’s home in June 2020 they were charged with conspiracy to conceal or destroy evidence.
After further investigations, Vallow and Daybell were indicted on the charge of first-degree murder in May 2021. Both pleaded not guilty at their preliminary hearings.
How Tylee and JJ die in Sins of Our Mother?
The causes of death for Tylee and JJ haven’t been released. We expect we’ll find out more when Vallow and Daybell’s trial finally begins.
When are Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell they due to stand trial?
Vallow and Daybell are awaiting trial for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the deaths of Vallow’s fourth husband, Charles, Daybell’s former wife, Tammy, and two of Lori’s children Tylee and JJ, who were just 16 and seven at the time of their deaths.
At their preliminary hearings, both pleaded not guilty. But the legal process has been long and drawn out; they’re currently scheduled to have a joint trial in 2023 in Ada County, Idaho. Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty in both cases.
Where can I watch Sins of Our Mother?
Sins of Our Mother is a three-part documentary and is available to stream on Netflix worldwide now. It tells Vallow’s chilling story and hears from those closest to the case, including Vallow’s mum, Janis Cox, and her eldest son Colby Ryan.
Is there a trailer for Sins of our Mother?
Yes, you can see the chilling story of unfold in the trailer as Tylee and JJ's family start to fear for their safety...
