How Many Kids Did David Koresh Have? David Koresh had more than 12 children including Cyrus Howell, Star Howell, and Bobbie Layne Howell.
Netflix has premiered Koresh’s documentary titled Waco: American Apocalypse. The three-part series tells the story of a Texas-based Waco cult leader and the violent siege at Mount Carmel Center in 1993.
Waco: American Apocalypse is created by Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle. The historical documentary stars Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch, and Andrea Riseborough in the lead and it will be available for streaming on Netflix on March 22, 2023.
Other famous historical documentaries from Netflix include Ancient Apocalypse and The Empress you can find out about on our site.
Vernon Wayne Howell, professionally known as David Koresh, is a political leader. He is the central figure of the 1993 Waco Seige. Koresh was born in Houston, Texas, on August 17, 1959.
The religious preacher claimed to have the gift of prophecy. After he ascended as the leader of the Branch Davidian Movement at Mount Carmel Center, he adopted polygamy and fathered more than a dozen children.
How Many Kids Did David Koresh Have?
David Koresh is believed to have had 17 children from 19 wives. The children were born and raised at the Mount Carmel Center in Texas.
The Washington Post article mentions that the Waco cult leader fathered 17 children. 12 of his children died in the fire that broke out in the Branch Davidian compound during the Waco Seige.
Koresh had three children with his first wife, Rachel Jones, including Cyrus Howell, Star Howell, and Bobbie Howell.
Cyrus Howell
David Koresh son Cyrus Ben Joseph Howell Koresh was born on March 20, 1985. Cyrus is the firstborn of his parents David and Rachel.
Born in McLennan County, Texas, he grew up with his little sister, Star. He was only 8 years old when the FBI carried out the siege at Mount Carmel Center. The boy was killed in the fire that broke out at the site.
Star Howell
David Koresh daughter Star Hadassah Howell Koresh was born on April 6, 1987.
Star was the younger sister of Cyrus, and the siblings grew up together. They shared a great bond with each other.
Star was one of the victims of the Waco Siege and passed away in 1993, at the age of 6.
Bobbie Howell
Bobbie Layne Koresh was born on December 14, 1991. Bobbie is the youngest child of David and Rachel.
Bobbie was only 16 months when she became a victim of the Waco siege on April 19, 1993.
Children From Other Wives
However, David also became the father of several other children from his affairs with six cult members after he adopted polygamy.
Other known children of David are Dayland Lord Gent, Serenity Sea Jones, Mayanah Songbird Schneider, Hollywood Sylvia, Little One Jones, Chica Jones, Startle Summers, Pages Kara Brittani, Chanel Andrade, and Baby Summers.
All of the above-mentioned kids perished during the heartbreaking incident of 1993 at the Branch Davidian compound.
According to the Post, four of David’s kids were not on the compound on that fateful day. Attorney Kathryn Gilliam said that all of the surviving kids will be listed as the legal heirs of the cult leader.
How Many Wives Did David Koresh Have?
David Koresh had 19 wives other than his well-known wife Rachel Jones. All of David’s brides were members of the Waco cult.
Australian-born writer, Clive Doyle, revealed in his autobiographical book that Koresh had total control over women and had nineteen wives. The writer further claimed that David was romantically involved with girls as young as 12.
Doyle is one of the members of the Waco cult led by Koresh. His autobiography, A Journey to Waco: Autobiography of a Branch Davidian, was published in 2012.
At the age of 19, the Waco cult leader established an illegal relationship with an under-aged girl. The 15-year-old became pregnant from her relationship with Koresh.
Survivors of the Waco siege claimed that girls as young as 14 were mothers of the Koresh’s children. One of the young ladies was Dana Okimoto who fled the Branch Davidian compound with two children.
Other young women claimed brides by David include, Nicole Elizabeth Gent Little, Michele Marie Jones Thibodeau, Neva Walkoviak, Aisha Elizabeth Gyarfas-Summers, and Katherine Grace Andrade, among others.
David Koresh Wife Rachel Jones
David Koresh wife Rachel Jones is the first bride of Koresh. Rachel got married to David on January 18, 1984
Rachel Olivia Susan Jones was born on May 9, 1969. She was raised by her parents Perry Jones and Mary Belle Jones in Texas.
Jones was spending her summer at Mount Carmel with her family members. During that period, she met David, known as Vernon Wayne Howell at that time.
Jones got romantically involved with the Davidian Branch leader and they decided to exchange wedding vows in 1984. Rachel was only 14 when she became a bride. However, her parents permitted the ceremony to carry on.
The couple became the parents of Cyrus Howell, Star Howell, and Bobbie Lane Howell.
Is Rachel Jones Still Alive?
No, Rachel Jones is not alive anymore. Rachel passed away on April 19, 1993.
Rachel is among the victims of the Waco Seige of 1993. About 85 people died in the Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound when a fire swept the place.
24-year-old Joned lost her life alongside her husband, David, and all three of her kids. Rachel’s father, Perry Jones, and her brother were some of the immediate family members who also died during the incident.
More on WACO cult leader David Koresh Family
David Koresh family include his parents Bonnie Sue Clark and Bobby Wayne Howell.
Mom Bonnie Sue Clark
David Koresh mother Bonnie Sue Clark was only 14 when she gave birth to her son.
Bonnie raised David for some time as a single mother. Pregnant Clark was abandoned by her partner, Bobby, for another girl. After that, she began to live together with another man who was a violent alcoholic.
In 1963, Bonnie left her 4-year-old son in the care of her mother and left the town with her boyfriend. Grandmother, Earline Clark, raised David on her own.
Bonnie returned for her son after she got married to a man named Roger. At the time, David was seven. He also had a half-brother from his stepdad.
Dad Bobby Wayne Howell
Bobby Wayne Howell was from Texas. Bobby impregnated his 14-year-old girlfriend, Bonnie. However, he didn’t stay around to father his child.
Bobby abandoned his pregnant teenage girlfriend for another woman. David never even once met his dad until he was 17.