Circle of Hope co-founder Boyd Householder dies months before abuse trial

VERNON COUNTY, Mo. — Boyd Householder, the co-founder of Circle of Hope accused of child abuse, died in the hospital on Tuesday, June 25, four months before he was set to go to trial.

According to a statement from Householder’s lawyer, Adam Woody, he passed away in a Vernon County hospital Tuesday morning after going into cardiac arrest. Woody said Householder had lung and heart damage suffered from the lingering effects of Agent Orange exposure from his time serving in the Vietnam War.

Boyd was scheduled to go to trial with his wife Stephanie in October 2024 for alleged child abuse at the Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch , a Christian reform school in Cedar County. The trial was initially scheduled for November 27, 2023, but was pushed back to 2024. Stephanie will still go to trial this October.

Boyd Householder had been charged with multiple counts of statutory rape, statutory sodomy, sexual contact with a student, abuse and neglect of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

“He passed away maintaining his innocence against any criminal conduct and is in a better place,” Woody said.

Then-Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt began to assist in the investigation into Circle for Hope and the couple in November 2020. In August of that year, 24 girls were removed from the ranch by Child Protective Services.

The Householders were arrested on March 9, 2021, with over 100 felony charges between them. In July 2021, the couple was placed under home confinement while they awaited trial after they reported health issues.

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