2 weeks ago
The two-part Hulu documentary “The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn?” explores a sadistic family custody conflict that culminated successful 2 teenagers locking themselves successful a room for 54 days.
In 2023, Utah siblings Ty and Brynlee Larson – 15 and 12, astatine nan time – barricaded themselves successful an upstairs room in their mother’s location for astir 2 months, unrecorded streaming their acquisition to nan world.
They did this to protestation a tribunal bid seeking to reunite them pinch their father, Brent Larson, who they had accused of intersexual abuse.
Brent denied nan allegation and made his ain claim, alleging that nan sibling’s mother, Jessica Zahrt, turned them against him successful a word known arsenic “parental alienation,” which she denied.
The lawsuit went viral from nan sibling’s videos, and ignited a nation-wide statement astir children’s maltreatment allegations, nan conception of “parental alienation,” and nan family tribunal system.
In nan doc, Jessica explains that she had a troubled puerility and impulsively joined Brent young — aft knowing him for little than a month.
“In nan beginning, he came disconnected arsenic charismatic, successful, fun,” she says.
Brent’s family was descended from a Mormon religion founder. The erstwhile spouses divided successful 2012 aft welcoming boy Ty and girl Brynlee.
In March 2018, erstwhile Brynlee was 7, she made nan first maltreatment allegation, claiming that Brent had “put lotion” connected her “private areas.”
Jessica explained onscreen that her girl was “graphic successful her disclosures” and she “couldn’t believe” what she was hearing.
She didn’t want to “destroy” Brett’s life complete “something that could beryllium a misunderstanding,” but she wanted to protect her kids. Following her attorney’s advice, Jessica called nan Utah Department of Child and Family Services.
Brynlee’s allegation was investigated, which sparked a years-long rhythm of continuous investigations and tribunal hearings. That aforesaid year, Ty besides came guardant pinch his ain allegation that Brent had sexually abused him, which Brent besides denied.
According to a February 2023 ProPublica report, astatine nan clip of nan 2018 investigation, authorities recovered nan maltreatment allegations against Brent to beryllium credible, and “severe and chronic.”
Although Brent was only allowed supervised visits moving forward, he was ne'er charged.
In footage of Brent’s question and reply from nan investigation, he claimed that he “never touched” his girl “like that,” and said that Brynlee’s allegation had immoderate “small truth, wrapped up successful misunderstandings.”
He added that he believed, “my ex woman really really dislikes me,” and he said he believed nan female detective interviewing him was a “man hater.”
His 2nd wife, Sandy, who divided him soon after, testified that she trusted him pinch her kids. But later connected she changed her tune and alleged that Brent had “coached” her “on immoderate things to say” and he wanted her to allegedly opportunity she was pinch him immoderate clip Brynlee needed cream.
Sandy besides alleged that Brent had coached her to opportunity that she had “no interest whatsoever” astir leaving her kids “alone pinch him.”
After getting “clarity” astir their relationship, Sandy said she realized Brent was “manipulative and controlling.”
Brent’s mother, Jolleen Larson, called nan maltreatment allegations “false” onscreen, and said that her boy would “never harm a child.”
Jessica moved to terminate Brent’s parental rights, and nan tribunal conflict became ugly. He countered pinch a petition to modify their custody statement based connected “parental alienation.”
“Brent was saying nan allegations were fabricated, and my fault,” Jessica said.
Jolleen said she supported Brent’s declare that Jessica had “fed” nan kids “misinformation.”
“We each recognized what was going on,” Jolleen added. “You tin create memories successful these children, you tin make immoderate kid judge anything.”
The tribunal ordered nan kids to participate successful “reunification therapy” pinch Brent. Jessica said that nan tribunal wanted to “force” her kids to person a narration pinch their father, and these therapy sessions “went connected for years,” which was “traumatic” and caused much “damage” to her kids.
In 2023, erstwhile a judge ordered that Ty and Brynlee walk 90 days successful a “reunification camp” pinch Brent — without being allowed to interaction Jessica — they responded pinch their barricade.
“I chose to barricade because I was acrophobic for my life,” Ty said successful nan doc, adding that it was an “impulse decision.” The teen unrecorded streamed his acquisition because he “knew nan tribunal wasn’t going to listen,” he explained.
“As agelong arsenic I was unrecorded streaming it, I wouldn’t beryllium taken.”
In 1 of his videos, Ty said, “The tribunal strategy isn’t trying to prevention us. Nobody’s trying to support america safe.”
Police came to their mother’s house, pinch support from nan judge to usage “reasonable force” to region Ty and Brynlee from Jessica’s location to bring them to Brent. After conferring pinch their caption, nan cops backed off.
Reporter Hannah Dreyfus, who covered nan case, said that she spent months reporting connected really “parental alienation” was being utilized arsenic an statement successful tribunal to “influence custody decisions.”
What “stood out” astir this lawsuit was really “the attraction successful nan courtroom shifted from maltreatment to parental alienation,” she noted.
After nan kids came retired of their barricade, nan judge gave Jessica afloat custody, but Brent was still fixed visitation, which made Ty “sick pinch anxiety,” he said.
The ordeal ended successful 2024, erstwhile Brent voluntarily signed distant his parental authorities to Ty and Brynlee. This came retired of “left field” for Jessica, she said, adding that she holds “gratitude” that Brent took that step.
Shortly after, Jessica’s 2nd husband, Aaron, formally adopted them, and Ty explained onscreen that he has since recovered a bully therapist.
Both sides of nan conflict had been decimated by ineligible bills.
Jessica estimated that she owes complete $300,000. “I will beryllium paying connected that for astir apt nan remainder of my life,” she said.
Jolleen said her family besides still has ineligible bills, but didn’t specify a number.
Jolleen said her boy signed distant his parental authorities because nan changeless tribunal battles and affectional turmoil connected nan kids was “torture” for everyone involved.
In a video connection to his kids, Brent said that it was “the hardest point I’d ever do.”
“I couldn’t watch my children strengthen much symptom for thing they did not aliases could not control,” he said onscreen, referring to his declare that his kids had been brainwashed.
He noted that his kids deserved much than what this “broken [court] strategy put america through.”
“My top dream is that 1 time we will person nan opportunity to reconnect,” he said.
Page Six has reached retired to Brent and Jessica for comment.
“The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn?” is now streaming connected Hulu.
