Rory Feek’s oldest daughter announced Wednesday that she and her younger sister, Hopie, are “pursuing legal action” against their father regarding the safety of their youngest sister, Indy.
Rory Feek was well-known behind-the-scenes in the country music industry. He found success as a songwriter with hits written for Clay Walker, Tracy Byrd, Blake Shelton, and more. But he entered the national spotlight when he and his wife, Joey, competed on the first season of the CMT show, Can You Duet? in 2008.
Joey and Rory ultimately placed 3rd but garnered a loyal following in music and on Rory’s blog, This Life I Live. In the blog, Rory shared stories about their life on their rural Tennessee farm, their musical journey, the birth of their daughter, Indiana Boone (aka Indy), and Joey’s battle with metastatic cervical cancer.
RELATED: 20 COUNTRY STARS THE WORLD LOST TOO SOON
The cancer took Joey’s life in March 2016, leaving Rory to raise Indy alone. Rory is also the father of two daughters, Heidi and Hopie, from a previous marriage.
In recent months, Heidi has been vocal about her concern for Indy since Joey’s death.
In a post shared to her Instagram story on Wednesday (August 28), Heidi Feek revealed that she and Hopie are pursuing legal action against their father out of concern for Indy’s safety.
“We are pursuing legal action because we no longer believe Indiana is safe under our father’s care, and her well-being remains our top priority,” Heidi wrote.
The above statement was part of a post confirming that a GoFundMe account set up on Heidi and Hope’s behalf was legitimate. The fundraising effort was established to help the sisters cover legal fees.
The GoFundMe page further details the rift between Rory Feek and his daughters.
“Many know Rory Feek as a devoted father and husband, but for his older daughters, Hopie and Heidi, the reality has been far different. For years, they were led to believe their mother didn’t want them, only to later discover that this was a lie their father used to keep them apart,” the page reads.
It goes on to say that Hopie and Heidi had a motherly role in Indy’s life after Joey passed away, but were cut off from their little sister without warning. The pair reached out to family and friends in hopes of getting answers, but all they found were more concerns, leading them to pursue legal action.
They state that the lawsuit is “absolutely necessary to keep Indy safe,” and added that all funds raised will go directly toward legal fees. The statement concludes, “Please don’t be deceived by appearances. Look deeper, and if you can, please help.”
View this post on Instagram
In a new interview with Taste of Country, Heidi Feek further details her dad’s association with a group that has a long history of abuse allegations, a fact that is at the heart of their concern for Indy.
Following Rory Feek’s recent wedding in Greycliff, Montana, Heidi was vocal on social media about her concern that Indiana had been left with a family they did not know while Rory and his new bride went on their honeymoon. The family is believed to be a part of an “organization known for its troubling history of child abuse,” called Homestead Heritage.
Homestead Heritage is a Christian, farming-based community based in Waco, Texas, with branches throughout the United States, including Greycliff, Montana.
In her interview with Taste of Country, Heidi shared that she had concerns long before Rory remarried.
Heidi shared that she and Hopie had asked their father to attend family counseling with them. He declined.
“Over time, he cut Indy off from us more and more until now we have no contact,” Hopie told the outlet. “… First, he stopped letting us FaceTime with her because he ‘had a flip phone,’ but now we know he has an iPhone.”
“Then he stopped letting her come and spend the night in Alabama, which had been a staple of her entire life, and now we can’t even talk to her on the phone.”
Heidi further accuses her father of physical abuse and using his daughters as a way to gain sympathy. But, ultimately, the sisters just want what is best for Indiana and their family as a whole.
“With his history of being abusive to us, we can’t move forward without professional help,” Hopie said. “I still hope he reconsiders, because I still love him.”
Read the full interview with Heidi and Hopie Feek here.