Betrayal: A Father’s Secret Hulu Review: Dark Truth Hidden in a Secret Folder

Betrayal: A Father’s Secret is a true crime docu-series from ABC News Studios.

It is the second season of the Betrayal series, following the first season titled Betrayal: The Perfect Husband.

This series is based on the popular crime podcast “Betrayal” by iHeart Podcasts and Glass Entertainment.

This docu-series premiered on Hulu on July 30, 2024, and consists of three episodes.

Betrayal: A Father’s Secret Reveals the Horrifying Case of Ashley Lytton and Her Husband, Jason

Betrayal: A Father’s Secret series focuses on the story of Ashley Lytton, a mother of three from Utah, who discovers a dark secret about her husband, Jason Lytton.

The discovery begins when Jason asks Ashley to set up a Venmo account, then furiously tells her to forget about it.

Suspicious, Ashley investigated further and found a hidden folder on Jason’s iCloud account.

In the ensuing moments, she found hundreds of inappropriate photos of children and videos of teenage girls inside that folder.

This led to Jason’s arrest and a deeper investigation that uncovered over 1500 files and photos.

Additionally, she discovered that he had taken over 100 videos of her unsuspecting 15-year-old daughter.

Take a look at the trailer of Betrayal: A Father’s Secret here:

The series documents the impact of this discovery on Ashley’s family, her efforts to protect her children, and the legal proceedings that follow.

It includes interviews with Ashley, her family, friends, and experts, providing a comprehensive look at the emotional and psychological ramifications of such a betrayal.

The series aims to shed light on the serious issue of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and the challenges faced by families dealing with such traumatic revelations.

Ashley Lytton Met Jason When She was a Single Mother

Ashley Lytton’s husband, Jason, initially appeared to be the ideal partner.

When they met, Ashley was a single mother supporting two children, and Jason seemed to wholeheartedly embrace her life, winning over her family and gaining her children’s trust.

Four years into their relationship, Ashley and Jason got married, had a child together, and became a well-liked family in their Riverton, Utah, community.

Despite some tumultuous times, their relationship seemed to be on an upward trajectory, especially with Jason’s successful career as an electrician.

However, on September 29, 2021, Jason’s innocent-sounding request revealed a dark secret hidden for the past decade of their marriage.

Due to this, Jason was initially booked on 100 counts of venereal exploitation of a minor.

He later secured a plea deal and was sentenced to 329 days in Salt Lake County Jail and two years of supervised probation.

Moreover, he was also required to fulfill a cognitive behavioral program, a mental health evaluation, and a parenting class, and he was prohibited from accessing the internet

Later, despite the severity of the crime, he was released early for good behavior.

According to the record published by the Utah Department of Public Safety, he is now living in Herriman, Utah.

A Father’s Secret Highly Focus on Shock Value Rather Than Motive and Justice

Watching Betrayal: A Father’s Secret left me feeling deeply disturbed. The graphic details of child venereal abuse and the betrayal within a family were incredibly hard to process.

I felt a mix of anger, sadness, and discomfort as I learned about Jason’s crimes and the impact on his family.

The explicit descriptions and images were overwhelming, sometimes making it difficult to watch. 

It was a stark reminder of the dark realities some people face. It left me feeling disturbed and reflective about the importance of protecting helpless individuals.

True fans of crime-drama series surely love this even though it contains disturbing events.

As the episodes are very slow, it include detailed and stretched information in 139 minutes of screen time.