If you spent any time in the late 1990s or early 2000s looking into the dark corners of the internet, you probably stumbled upon the name Davidito. It sounds innocent, like a nickname for a kid. And it was. But the Story of Davidito isn't a bedtime story or a cute childhood memoir. It’s actually one of the most disturbing documents ever produced by a modern cult.
Honestly, it’s a heavy subject.
We’re talking about Ricky Rodriguez. He was the "Prince" of the Children of God, which later rebranded as The Family International. This wasn't just some fringe group; at its peak, it had thousands of members worldwide, including the families of some pretty famous celebrities. But at the center of it all was a boy whose entire childhood was documented, photographed, and turned into a manual for something truly horrific.
The Story of Davidito and the Making of a "Messiah"
The book itself, often titled The Story of Davidito or Dito: His Early Years, is a massive tome. We're talking over 700 pages of logs, photos, and "observations" written primarily by a woman named Sara Davidito, one of Ricky’s nannies.
David Berg, the cult’s founder and Ricky’s step-father (though never officially), had a vision. He believed Ricky was the "Prophet of the End Times." To prepare him for this, Berg ordered that every moment of the boy's development be recorded.
The result? A guidebook for child-rearing that Berg distributed to his followers.
📖 Related: Trump Approval Rating State Map: Why the Red-Blue Divide is Moving
It wasn't just about what the kid ate for breakfast. It documented, in celebratory and graphic detail, the sexual abuse Ricky suffered at the hands of his nannies and adult members of the group. Berg viewed this as "training." He wanted to create a leader who was completely uninhibited by "systemite" (mainstream) morals.
Why the book was distributed
- As a Manual: It served as a blueprint for how other parents in the cult should raise their children.
- To Deify Ricky: It reinforced the idea that he was a special, holy being who didn't follow human rules.
- To Normalize Abuse: By putting it in a "spiritual" context, the leadership made members believe this was God's will.
The level of detail is stomach-turning. One chapter, famously titled "Learning Fun at 20 Months, Sex!", describes a nanny performing sexual acts on the toddler to help him sleep. This wasn't hidden; it was the curriculum.
The Fallout: From Prince to Vigilante
For years, the cult tried to bury the Story of Davidito. As law enforcement in the 80s and 90s started sniffing around, Berg ordered the books to be purged. They tried to scrub the "sex parts" out. But you can't really delete history when you've already mailed it to thousands of people.
Ricky Rodriguez eventually left the group. He tried to live a normal life. He got married, moved to the Pacific Northwest, and worked as a fisherman. But how do you just "move on" when your entire infancy was a public manual for pedophilia?
In 2005, things took a violent, tragic turn.
👉 See also: Ukraine War Map May 2025: Why the Frontlines Aren't Moving Like You Think
Ricky hadn't forgotten. He was angry—rightfully so—at his mother, Karen Zerby (who took over the cult after Berg died), and the nannies who raised him. He recorded a "farewell" video where he showed off weapons and spoke about his plan for revenge. He called it his "war."
He eventually tracked down Angela Smith in Tucson, Arizona. She was one of the nannies featured prominently in the Davidito book.
On January 9, 2005, Ricky murdered Angela Smith in his apartment. He then drove out into the desert, called his wife to say goodbye, and took his own life. He was only 29 years old.
What the World Got Wrong About the Story of Davidito
A lot of people think of this as just another "weird cult story." It’s not. It’s a landmark case in how "spiritual" language can be used to mask systematic crime.
Lord Justice Ward, a British judge who presided over a custody case involving the cult in 1995, famously described the Story of Davidito as a clear promotion of pedophilia. He didn't mince words. He saw the book for what it was: evidence of a predatory system disguised as a religion.
✨ Don't miss: Percentage of Women That Voted for Trump: What Really Happened
Even today, The Family International tries to distance itself. They’ll tell you those were "transitional years" or that the prophecies were "conditional."
Basically, they're backpedaling.
But for survivors, the book remains a physical proof of what they endured. It's the "black box" of the cult's most depraved era.
How to approach this history today
If you're researching this for academic reasons or because you're interested in cult dynamics, there are ways to dig deeper without falling into the "sensationalist" trap.
- Read Survivor Accounts: Don't just look at the cult's PR. Look for books like Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones or Not Without My Sister by Celeste, Kristina, and Juliana Jones. They provide the necessary context that the "official" Davidito book lacks.
- Understand the Legal Precedents: Look up the 1995 UK High Court ruling. It’s a dense read, but it’s one of the few times a high-level court thoroughly dismantled the "theology" behind the Davidito manual.
- Check Archive Sites: Websites like Moving On were the original hubs where Ricky Rodriguez and other "second generation" survivors first started talking. They contain the raw, unedited reactions of people who lived through this.
The Story of Davidito is a reminder that the most dangerous lies are often the ones told with a smile and a "godly" justification. It's a dark chapter, but understanding it is the only way to ensure the people responsible are held accountable, even if only in the court of public opinion.
Actionable Insight: If you or someone you know is struggling with the after-effects of a high-control group, organizations like the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) provide resources and support networks specifically for second-generation survivors. Awareness of the psychological tactics used in the Davidito era—such as the "us vs. them" mentality and the normalization of boundary violations—is the first step toward recovery.