A new investigative podcast tells the under-reported story of Joy Morgan, a 20-year-old midwifery student from South London who disappeared on Boxing Day 2018.
Joy went missing after attending a party at her controversial church, Israel United in Christ (IUIC). She was later found to have been murdered by a fellow member of the congregation.
The Missing Sister is hosted by award-winning journalist Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, with production by Seren Jones and entertainment company Free Turn.
Brinkhurst-Cuff first reported on Joy’s case in 2019 and remained convinced that the church’s role needed deeper investigation. Speaking about the project, Joy’s family gave one message: “The church needs to be taken down. They ruined our lives.”
IUIC, recently banned in France by decree from President Emmanuel Macron, has long attracted criticism. The group is part of the Hebrew Israelite movement, which teaches that black, native American and Hispanic people are the true descendants of the biblical Israelites.
Critics have accused the organisation of misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism, while former members say it pressures followers to cut ties with mainstream society.
Across six episodes, The Missing Sister draws on never-heard-before testimonies from Joy’s friends, family and ex-IUIC members. Their accounts reveal alleged abuse, coercion, misogyny and a silencing culture within the organisation, raising questions about its potential role in Joy’s death.
The investigation culminates in Brinkhurst-Cuff’s journey to the United States, where she attempts to confront IUIC’s leader, Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel, a former NYPD detective.
Through her reporting, the podcast explores difficult themes of belonging, faith and accountability, asking whether Joy’s life could have been saved and how families grieve when answers remain elusive.
Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff said: “We made this podcast with the blessing of Joy’s family and friends. From everything we’ve learned about her, we know that Joy was brilliant and bold, with a big smile, a loud laugh, and a huge intellect.
“The Missing Sister honours her memory by revealing the truth about an organisation that she became a part of as a young teenager. An organisation that claims to be a refuge, but that in reality is something much darker.”
Executive Producer Robbie Ashcroft of Free Turn added: “It’s been five years since Charlie floored me with Joy Morgan’s story.
“We are proud to have supported Charlie, Seren and executive producer Lexi Rose as they bring Joy’s story into the light in a way that only the best investigative podcasts can, with depth and nuance, in an ethically sound yet entertaining package.”
The Missing Sister is available from today, 10 September on Wondery+ with new episodes released weekly.
