Utah
Court ruling tears at the fabric of a Southern Utah family’s life
BERYL — The sun-baked dirt road winds through the vast emptiness of Beryl. On the horizon, a homestead stands against the untamed surroundings of Southern Utah.
Built by Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller with their own hands, the home and its matching barn reflect years of dedicated labor and a lifetime of savings.
“We put everything we have into this home,” Ruth Seegmiller said. “If we lose it, we lose everything we’ve worked for and our only livelihood.”
Inside, the home mirrors a close-knit family grounded in strong Christian values and cherished traditions.
Each detail underscores a life built on faith and togetherness. On the walls, a gallery of memories capture moments of joy — a child’s baptism, a family gathering, the smiling faces of their eight children. Interspersed are images of Christ and the temple, gentle reminders of their faith and the covenants that bind them.
The open floor plan centers around the kitchen, a hub of togetherness. Pots and pans hang above the island, a focal point of daily life where countless meals have been prepared with love, family stories shared, and homeschool lessons unfolded.
The large dining room window frames the family farm and the desert stretching beyond. The land is flat and unyielding, its surface cracked and dusty, dotted only with sparse sagebrush under an endless, scorching sky. The home’s comfort feels fragile against this harsh desert backdrop.
This contrast tells a story of dual realities: inside, there is comfort and love; outside, an encroaching desolation. Each gust of wind rustling the sagebrush seems to carry whispers of the legal troubles threatening to disrupt their carefully built haven.
The incident unfolds
The legal storm the Seegmillers now face began on June 11, 2022, at Newcastle Reservoir, about 23 miles from Beryl.
The family had organized a birthday party for one of their sons, and 14-year-old Kevin Cooper was among the guests. On that day, Coopers died from an incident that occurred at the party.
The Seegmillers assert they had made it clear that all the children should wear life jackets near the water.
“When we were at the reservoir, we told everybody regardless of whether they knew how to swim or not, everyone needed to wear a life jacket,” Ruth Seegmiller said.
Despite these instructions, Kevin and his brother managed to enter the reservoir unnoticed without the required gear while everyone was packing up to leave. This wasn’t the first time; several people had previously reminded the boys to put on their life jackets, Seegmiller said.
As the boys were on the water, some people began pointing to the other side of the reservoir. Witnesses on the lake and other children at the party later reported seeing the boys playing and standing up in their kayak. Moments later, one of the kayaks tipped over, and Cooper fell into the water.
Bryson Seegmiller jumped into the reservoir to help, still unsure of what was happening.
“I swim out there and the first person I see is her (his daughter). I see Kevin’s brother in the distance holding onto this kayak with one arm frantic and trying to swim around, go underneath the water, trying to find his brother while yelling, ‘help, help, I can’t find my brother he’s drowned’ and continuing to repeat himself,” Bryson Seegmiller said.
Meanwhile, Ruth Seegmiller stayed on the shore and vividly remembers hearing Cooper’s brother and his cries for help.
“I can just remember him screaming, ‘I killed my brother.’ For weeks, months after that every time I could hear that scream it just reminded me,” Ruth Seegmiller said during an emotional interview with St. George News / Cedar City News.
“Just the way he was screaming for his brother just tore my heart apart because I knew they hadn’t found Kevin yet. It was just the saddest thing to me watching his brother scream like that. I’ll never forget that. I never heard anyone scream or cry like that before.”
A nearby party on a boat assisted in getting Cooper’s brother to shore and then found a spot with service to call 911. After an extended search, Bryson Seegmiller, realizing the situation was dire, made the heartbreaking call to Cooper’s parents.
Despite extensive efforts by Bryson Seegmiller and first responders, 10 long hours passed before Kevin’s body was found.
The community rallied around the Cooper family, starting a GoFundMe account that the Seegmillers said raised approximately $120,000.
“There were so many people who came out to help them,” Ruth Seegmiller said. “People would just give them money out of their pocket. It was really amazing.”
In the days following the tragedy, Bryson Seegmiller also went to the Coopers’ home to help with cleaning up some accumulated garbage. He aimed to provide support and assist with any needs the family might have during their difficult time.
While he worked alongside another person, the Coopers communicated mainly with his colleague and were less responsive to him.
Eventually, the father expressed that hearing from Seegmiller was too painful for them, and they needed to distance themselves. Respecting their wishes, Seegmiller ceased his efforts to provide further assistance.
“So I respected their wishes. I stepped out and stopped trying to be there for them,” Bryson Seegmiller said.
Coopers pursue legal action
Kevin’s parents, William and Tina Cooper, later chose to pursue legal action.
They first secured an undisclosed settlement from the kayak owner’s insurance before filing a lawsuit against the Seegmillers for nearly $10 million. They also sought a claim against the Seegmillers’ insurance, but discovered that they didn’t have coverage.
This amount reflects the Coopers’ belief that Kevin’s notable achievements and potential justified their claim for damages.
Court documents and news reports highlight that by the age of 14, Kevin had already purchased a 350-acre farm and was involved in a range of ambitious projects. These included developing a luxury toiletries line, working on a movie script and children’s books, and breeding heritage turkeys.
Additionally, he bought a John Deere tractor for farm maintenance on his 11th birthday and later wrote two books, including an autobiography,
In their court petition, the Coopers argue that Kevin’s future role was essential to their financial stability. As the only able-bodied member of the household, the court documents state that Kevin Cooper was expected to support his older autistic brother and care for his mother, who is partially blind.
Additionally, William Cooper, a disabled veteran injured during boot camp, had relied on VA benefits while his children were dependents. With Cooper’s death and his brother now an adult, those benefits have ceased, worsening the family’s financial situation.
Cedar City News reached out to the Coopers’ lawyer for comment but received no response at the time of this report.
Seegmillers refuse legal assistance
Despite their legal issues, the Seegmillers have chosen not to hire an attorney — a decision deeply rooted in their faith.
As devout Christians, the couple said they repeatedly prayed about the litigation and felt guided not to seek legal counsel. For them, their decision to obey was about following divine direction.
“At this point, He has asked us that we take care of matters,” Bryson Seegmiller said. “We’re supposed to trust in the Lord and we’re supposed to use the community to knowledge and insight and to be able to help us through this ordeal. And we have gotten an immense amount of community support and knowledge.”
The Seegmillers said they have had several attorneys offer to represent them, but each time, they returned to prayer and consistently received the same answer.
The Seegmillers’ response
On July 3, 2023, the Seegmillers were served with the initial complaint. Ruth Seegmiller refused to accept the paperwork and recorded the incident on her phone. The constable noted that he left the summons in a secure spot. The court gave them 21 days to respond.
“It was definitely a hard thing to get,” Ruth Seegmiller said. “Then to read through it and read all the things that they were saying and to know we have proof against all this … it’s hard. You just feel like, this isn’t, this isn’t what happened.”
While denying any connection to the sovereign movement, the Seegmillers included elements of its ideology in their July 18 response.
They filed an “Affidavit of Conditional Acceptance,” a document commonly associated with sovereign beliefs, which imposed conditions on their acceptance of the legal proceedings. However, the court did not accept this response as valid.
Sovereign adherents claim exemption from government authority and legal systems, disputing the legitimacy of courts and regulations. U.S. courts typically reject these arguments as lacking legal standing.
The Seegmillers filed a formal response on August 16, well past the deadline. In their response, they used tactics associated with the sovereign movement, including the argument that the capitalization of their names in court documents invalidated the petition.
The Seegmillers also contested the Coopers’ claims about the drowning.
According to court documents, the Coopers alleged they had warned the Seegmillers that their son could not swim and had requested that he and his “severely autistic brother” avoid the water. They accused the Seegmillers of negligence in supervising the children.
The Seegmillers, however, denied this claim, arguing the Coopers never told them Kevin couldn’t swim.
“They never told us that he couldn’t get in the water and I clearly told her we would be playing in the water,” Ruth Seegmiller said. “And actually, the week before that we went out fishing and brought him with us then too … And he didn’t come to fish, they just played in the water a little bit and they never said anything about it.”
Text messages between Tina Cooper and Ruth Seegmiller, reviewed by St. George/Cedar City News, showed no mention of Kevin’s inability to swim or any warnings to keep him out of the water. Additionally, no court evidence was presented to support the claim that such a conversation took place.
Judgment and appeals
After the Seegmillers missed the deadline to respond adequately, the Coopers’ attorney filed for a default judgment, which the court granted. A hearing for damages was scheduled for Jan. 16, 2024.
The Seegmillers did not attend the hearing, later claiming they were unaware of it due to communication issues with the court. Following the hearing, the judge awarded $9.5 million in damages to the Coopers.
To enforce the judgment, multiple writs of garnishment and liens led to the seizure of the Seegmillers’ property, including their water rights and farm.
Following the issuance of the writs, constables and the Coopers’ attorney arrived at the Seegmillers’ home to seize valuable assets while Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller were away in Cedar City, about an hour from their home.
All eight of their children were present during the raid when the constables used a locksmith to gain entry into the home. The forced entry and search for valuables left the children alone and unsettled.
At the time, the Seegmillers said they had no idea who the people were and instructed their children to stay out of sight while they kept them on the phone traveling home.Their 15-year-old son tried to prevent the constables from entering, but they were ultimately able to move past him.
“I got a phone call at some point from someone who was here that said, ‘we are breaking into your house … and the person I was on the phone with said,’tell your kid to stand down’,” Bryson Seegmiller said.
Among the items seized were some of the Seegmillers’ firearms, money and their children’s savings. The savings were ultimately returned.
Coopers’ attorney also gave the Seegmillers an ultimatum regarding two of their vehicles, including a work truck and a van for the family. The Seegmillers were given the option to either surrender both vehicles or keep one by allowing a friend to buy it back for $2,500.
In addition, a sheriff’s auction was scheduled for late July to sell the Seegmillers’ home and other seized assets. As the auction date neared, the Seegmillers filed a motion to stay the judgment and request a hearing.
While the judge granted part of their request and scheduled a hearing on Aug. 16, he did not halt the sale of their home.
Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter, however, delayed the auction for another month to give the Seegmillers an opportunity to be heard in court, urging them to reconsider hiring an attorney.
“I made the decision I did to give them to have their day in court,” Carpenter said. “And I really hope they will reconsider their decision not to hire an attorney because I am afraid if they don’t, they’re going to lose everything they have.”
The judge’s ruling
On Friday, the Seegmillers attended their hearing before 5th District Court Judge Matthew Bell. Even with the high stakes, the Seegmillers stuck to their decision to represent themselves, guided by their faith and conviction not to hire a lawyer.
Bell began by recounting the procedural history of the case, noting that the Seegmillers’ failure to comply with court rules and their reliance on “meritless legal theories” had led to their current predicament.
Bell expressed frustration with the Seegmillers’ repeated use of documents and strategies associated with the sovereign ideology, which he described as “improper” and “without a basis in the law.”
“The affidavit you submitted,” the judge stated, “was not a proper answer in form or substance. It was, in essence, a declaration of your intent not to participate in these legal proceedings unless your own terms were met — a stance that is both unreasonable and untenable in this court.”
Despite their recent efforts to challenge the default judgment, the judge denied all five motions filed by the Seegmillers, including their motion to set aside the judgment and writ of execution.
However, he did grant a temporary stay on the sheriff’s sale of their home, giving the Seegmillers 90 days to appeal the decision. If they do appeal and the appellate court grants their request, the stay will remain in place pending the outcome.
“If you choose to appeal, that is your right,” Bell said, adding, “but I urge you to seek proper legal counsel moving forward. The consequences of your current path are severe, and I fear you may lose everything if you continue down this road alone.”
Even after the judge’s strong admonitions, the Seegmillers are likely to stand by their decision not to hire an attorney, trusting instead in their faith to guide them. Though this path could cost them their home and livelihood, they hold firm in their belief that the trials they have faced are part of a journey they wouldn’t trade, despite the heartache.
“We have done everything the Lord has asked us to. It is a home. It is not my family. It is a mere miniscule thing they can take away. I’ve worked many years to build it but it is nothing because my family has gotten closer together,” Bryson Seegmiller said.
“We’ve had many miracles and so many blessings given to us not only for each other but for the community. I would never trade that for anything in the world. So even if I lost my home, from the gifts I have received from my Heavenly Father, it was well worth it.”
Cedar City News reporter Jeff Richards contributed to the coverage of this story.
Photo Gallery
The home of the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Ruth and Bryson Seegmiller are joined by two of their children as they sit down for an interview with St. George News / Cedar City News reporters, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Ruth and Bryson Seegmiller and several of their children enjoy freshly baked cookies prior to an interview with St. George News / Cedar City News reporters, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Ruth and Bryson Seegmiller and several of their children enjoy freshly baked cookies prior to an interview with St. George News / Cedar City News reporters, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Photos and inspirational messages adorn the living room wall of the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family home, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
One of Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller’s children, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Ruth Seegmiller is surrounded by a few of her children following an interview with St. George News / Cedar City News reporters, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News The home of the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
A goat provides milk for the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Various crops are growing on the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family property, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
The home of the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
A legal notice has been posted on the front gate of the home of the Bryson and Ruth Seegmiller family, Beryl, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Newcastle Reservoir, Newcastle, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Newcastle Reservoir, Newcastle, Utah, June 26, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
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