Ecclesia Athletic Association
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The Ecclesia Athletic Association (EAA) was an organization founded by Eldridge Broussard in 1975, with the stated mission of helping children escape the dangers of inner-city Los Angeles through strict discipline and athletic training and which later had members charged with manslaughter and child abuse. In 1987, the group moved from its headquarters in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles to Sandy, Oregon. The group sometimes attracted accusations that it was a cult, often from neighbors or the family of members inside the group.[1] Broussard publicly denied the label, including in 1984 and in a 1988 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[1][2]
The October 1988 death of Eldridge's daughter, Dayna Broussard, prompted the removal of the remaining 53 children in the organization's care and an investigation into the group. The investigation found that the children were subject to extreme fitness training and physical punishments, including floggings. Four EAA staff members were convicted of manslaughter, while Broussard and seven others were charged with child slavery by the federal government. Broussard died before the trial, while the other seven pleaded guilty to lesser charges.