Witness Docs from Stitcher

Just to note before we start, this episode discusses some heavy stuff, like underage

marriage and sexual abuse.

I was 14 years old when I was told that I was to be married.

And at some point in my life I knew that I was going to be married because that was

the only path that I got as a woman.

And I really did want it, but just not at 14.

And Warren was the one that told me that I needed to move forward with this marriage,

because if I didn't, then I was no longer welcome in the community.

And I found myself driving with my future husband and his family and my mother and Warren

Jeff's and his posse of religious leaders to a dingy hotel where I was married to my

first cousin inside of a hotel room.

There was this moment where my mom stood up and took my hand because they couldn't get

me to say I do.

They couldn't get me to agree to this marriage.

And she stood up and held my hand and just gripped it.

And I had this overwhelming realization that it wasn't just my salvation, hanging in

the balance, it was hers.

And it was my little sisters and it was my older sisters.

It was my entire family.

And that we would all go to hell if I chose to fight this any longer.

That day in the hotel, Elisa Wald chose not to send her entire family to hell.

...