Kathy Schroeder was one of the former members of the Branch Davidians, a religious cult led by David Koresh that was involved in a deadly standoff with the federal agents in 1993. The siege, known as the Waco Massacre, lasted for 51 days and resulted in the deaths of 86 people, including Koresh and many of his followers. But what happened to Kathy Schroeder’s son Bryan, who was only three years old at the time of the tragedy? Here is his story and how he survived the ordeal.
A Mother’s Choice
Kathy Schroeder joined the Branch Davidians in 1985, when she was 19 years old. She married another member, Michael Schroeder, and they had four children together: Bryan, Karen, Joshua, and Heather. The family lived in the Mount Carmel Center compound, where Koresh preached his apocalyptic beliefs and amassed a large cache of weapons. According to the Guardian, Koresh also claimed to be the Messiah and practiced polygamy, taking several wives from his followers, including Kathy.
On February 28, 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) attempted to raid the compound to search for illegal firearms. The raid turned into a shootout, which killed four ATF agents and six Branch Davidians. Among the dead was Michael Schroeder, who was shot by the agents as he tried to return to the compound. The shootout triggered a 51-day siege, during which the FBI tried to negotiate with Koresh and his followers to surrender peacefully.
During the siege, Koresh allowed some of his followers to leave the compound, including 21 children. Kathy Schroeder was one of the first adults to exit, on March 7, 1993. She was permitted to pass a message from inside the compound to her son Bryan, who was staying at the Methodist Children’s Home, a foster care facility. According to the Justice Department, she said, “I’d rather be here, but in order to be with Bryan I guess I have to come out.” When she and Bryan were reunited, she hugged her toddler, and then was separated from him and arrested.
A Witness for the Prosecution
Kathy Schroeder was charged with conspiracy to murder federal agents, along with 11 other Branch Davidians who had left the compound. She faced a possible life sentence, but she agreed to testify for the prosecution in exchange for a more lenient sentence. She became the star witness in the trial, providing crucial evidence against Koresh and his followers. She testified that Koresh had planned the shootout with the ATF, that he had ordered his followers to shoot at the agents, and that he had abused and molested children in the compound. She also revealed that Koresh had fathered 15 children with different women, and that he had instructed his followers to set fire to the compound if the FBI tried to enter.
Kathy Schroeder’s testimony was corroborated by the events of April 19, 1993, the final day of the siege. The FBI launched a tear gas assault on the compound, hoping to force the Branch Davidians to surrender. Instead, a fire broke out in the compound, engulfing it in flames. The fire killed 76 people, including Koresh and most of his followers. Only nine people managed to escape the inferno. The FBI claimed that the Branch Davidians had started the fire themselves, while the survivors claimed that the FBI had ignited the fire with their tear gas canisters. The cause of the fire remains controversial to this day.
Kathy Schroeder’s cooperation with the authorities earned her a reduced sentence of three years in prison. She pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aiding and abetting the voluntary manslaughter of federal agents. She was released in 1996, after serving two and a half years of her sentence.
A New Life
After her release, Kathy Schroeder tried to rebuild her life and reconnect with her children. She moved to South Dakota, where her children were living with their paternal grandparents. She remarried and had another child, a daughter named Rachel. She also changed her name to Kathy Connizzo, and became a nurse. She rarely spoke publicly about her involvement in the Waco Massacre, and avoided the media attention that surrounded the event.
Bryan Schroeder, who was the youngest of Kathy’s children, grew up without his biological parents for most of his childhood. He was adopted by Kathy’s sister, Connie Connizzo, and her husband, Bill. They raised him in Zephyrhills, Florida, along with their own children. Bryan attended a Christian school and played soccer. He also learned about his mother’s past and visited her in prison. He later said that he forgave her for what she had done, and that he loved her. He also said that he did not hate Koresh, and that he wanted to know more about his father, Michael.
Bryan Schroeder is now 33 years old, and lives in Florida. He works as a firefighter and paramedic, and has a family of his own. He has two children, a son named Michael and a daughter named Kayla. He has also maintained contact with his mother, Kathy, and his siblings, Karen, Joshua, and Heather. He has appeared in several documentaries and interviews about the Waco Massacre, sharing his perspective as a survivor and a son. He has said that he hopes to honor the memory of his father and the other victims, and to spread a message of peace and forgiveness.