Trafficked: The Incredible Survival of Iasia Sweeting

The most devastating crimes don’t always start with violence — sometimes, they begin with a promise. A voice that sounds enlightened. Someone who claims to see something special in you… and then, piece by piece, rewrites what love means. What truth means. What safety means.

This is the story of Iasia Sweeting, a gifted teenage artist who vanished in 2010 — and was found years later weighing just fifty-nine pounds in a Gwinnett County hotel room. Her captor, Calvin McIntosh, a self-proclaimed prophet tied to the Nuwaubian Nation of Moors, ruled through doctrine and deprivation. Alongside his daughter, Najlaa McIntosh, he turned faith into a weapon — a theology where obedience meant holiness and hunger was purification.

But perhaps most haunting: this didn’t happen in secret. It happened in plain sight — inside an Extended Stay America filled with guests and staff who heard cries... and did nothing. In this episode, Bailey and Chelsea unpack not just what happened, but how: the psychology of coercive control, the sociological blind spots that enabled it, and the survivor who reclaimed her voice after the world stopped listening.

RESOURCES:

• National Human Trafficking Hotline [phone] | 📱 Text “HELP” to 233733 | humantraffickinghotline.org Confidential, 24/7, multilingual support for victims, survivors, and concerned witnesses.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) 1-800-656-4673 | rainn.org The largest anti–sexual violence organization in the U.S., offering free, confidential crisis support.
• StrongHearts Native Helpline (for Native and Indigenous survivors) 1-844-762-8483 | strongheartshelpline.org
• National Domestic Violence Hotline [phone]-SAFE (7233) | thehotline.org 24/7 support for anyone experiencing emotional, physical, or spiritual abuse in relationships.
• International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA): icsahome.com Education and recovery resources for survivors of high-control groups, cults, and coercive environments.
• FaithTrust Institute: faithtrustinstitute.org Resources addressing abuse within faith communities and spiritual institutions.
• Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADV) 1-800-334-2836 | gcadv.org Local support, shelter access, and advocacy services across Georgia.
• Sealed With A Purpose: sealedwithapurpose.org (if live) Founded by survivor Iasia Sweeting, this nonprofit helps survivors heal through art, equine therapy, and empowerment training.

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PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST. Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen. 

​WILDCIDE Podcast and any content posted is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare  professionals for any such conditions. 

References:

11Alive. (2018, September 14). Father accused of rape, incest, starving 15-month-old daughter to death enters guilty plea. 11Alive. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/father-accused-of-rape-incest-starving-15-month-old-daughter-to-death-enters-guilty-plea/85-595993234

American Broadcasting Company (CBS News). (2014, November 14). Georgia baby’s death leads to charges of murder, child abuse, incest. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-babys-death-leads-to-charges-of-murder-child-abuse-incest/

Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore LLP. (2018, November 15). Gwinnett jury awards $13.8M to mother of baby starved to death in cult case. Law.com Daily Report Online.

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