Mile Higher Mile Higher Media

Many people have described social media as a cult. From following every word of an influencer to seeking the fame and fortune it can promise young people, the comparison is sometimes fair. However, in Southern California, an actual TikTok cult cuts members off from their families, gives the leader control of their finances, and forces them to live on cult-run properties, all in exchange for millions of follows and brand deals. The new Netflix documentary Dancing for the Devil not only explored the cult talent agency but exposed how Pastor Robert Shinn had been using those same tactics in his insulated Shekinah Church for nearly 30 years.

For thousands of years, strange and lost locations have gripped people's imaginations worldwide. Ancient libraries were said to hold all of the world’s knowledge, secret archives that possessed documents and artifacts imbued with such power that their existence must be kept hidden, strange sightings in small towns, and a demonic occurrence that left a house bleeding. Are these places truly locations of otherworldly power, or does their mystery simply inspire the minds of those looking for excitement in something as mundane as a hall of records or brake lights reflected on air?

In most missing person cases, there is at least some sort of trail investigators can follow. But when 32-year-old Chelsea Grimm’s Ford Escape was found abandoned near the rural town of Ash Fork, Arizona, while en route to Connecticut, she vanished without a trace. Over half a year later, investigators have no leads, only vague sightings, potential tips, and many possible outcomes. Was she stalked while making her way across the country, had a mental break after her car broke down, or did she join a self-help cult and wanted to leave her old life behind in California? Is Chelsea Grimm still out there, and does she want to be found?

Denise Huskins was staying at her boyfriend Aaron Quinn’s house on Mare Island in Vallejo, California, on the night of March 23rd, 2015. At 3:04 AM, kidnappers woke up the couple with blinding lights and forced them to take sedatives. The kidnappers said the intended target was Aaron’s ex-fiance but still took Denise to an undisclosed location. What followed was 48 hours in which cops relentlessly questioned Aaron and pushed all suspicions towards him. However, Denise was released to her hometown 400 miles away two days later. Then, police blamed Denise for faking her kidnapping, and the media called her the real-life Gone Girl after the film that came out the year before. Luckily, one police officer believed Denise and was able to find the perpetrator. Still, questions remained: why was Andrea targeted, was there anyone else involved, and why did cops jump so quickly to blame the couple for the crime they were victims of?

The Troubled Teen Industry has existed in the background for most of our lives. Whether you went to a camp, knew a friend who disappeared and attended for a while, or saw kids on Dr. Phil carted away, the troubled teen industry has cemented itself in broader American society. But in recent years, celebrity participants and other survivors have spoken out against the industry, alleging abuse, kidnapping, and even murder. However, with anywhere between 120,000-200,000 children in programs at any given time, these camps and centers can sweep everything under the rug. Utilizing cult tactics of brainwashing, false marketing, and attack therapy, the industry has garnered extreme supporters at the highest levels of government. What’s truly behind this multi-billion dollar industry? Are these places good for changing a child’s life, or are they trauma factories for the most vulnerable kids in our country today?

On the chilly morning of May 8th, 2008, a beloved high school musician, Joshua Maddux, walked through his forested neighborhood in Woodland Park, Colorado. His family knew Josh would take these walks alone, and he often told his family that he would leave for a big adventure one day. But this time, he never returned. Days turned to months turned to years until, in 2015, property developer Chuck Murphy discovered Josh’s body stuffed into a chimney in an abandoned cabin less than a mile from Josh’s home. What followed was a lackluster police investigation, easy answers from the coroner, and cries from Josh’s friends and woodland park locals that he was put in that chimney by someone. Everyone has tried to answer this question: How did Joshua Maddux get stuck inside that chimney?