Posted on 04/14/2008 8:17:56 PM PDT by BlackVeil
SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) — Texas officials who took 416 children from a polygamist retreat into state custody sent many of their mothers away Monday, as a judge and lawyers struggled with a legal and logistical morass in one of the biggest child-custody cases in U.S. history.
Of the 139 women who voluntarily left the compound with their children since an April 3 raid, only those with children 4 or younger were allowed to continue staying with them, said Marissa Gonzales, spokewoman for the state Children's Protective Services agency. She did not know how many women stayed.
"It is not the normal practice to allow parents to accompany the child when an abuse allegation is made," Gonzales said.
The women were given a choice: Return to the Eldorado ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a renegade Mormon sect, or go to another safe location. Some women chose the latter, Gonzales said.
The state is accusing the sect of physically and sexually abusing the youngsters and wants to strip their parents of custody and place the children in foster care or put them up for adoption. The sheer size of the case was an obstacle.
"Quite frankly, I'm not sure what we're going to do," Texas District Judge Barbara Walther said after a conference that included three to four dozen attorneys either representing or hoping to represent youngsters.
The mothers were taken away Monday after they and the children were taken by bus under heavy security out of historic Fort Concho, where they had been staying, to the San Angelo Coliseum, which holds nearly 5,000 people and is used for hockey games, rodeos and concerts. The polygamist retreat is about 45 miles south of San Angelo.
Some of the youngsters' mothers complained to Gov. Rick Perry that the children were getting sick in the crowded fort. About 20 children had a mild case of chickenpox, said Dr. Sandra Guerra-Cantu with the state Health Department.
Perry spokesman Robert Black said the governor did not believe the children were being housed in poor conditions at the West Texas fort. "Let's be honest here, this is not the Ritz," Black said, but he called the accommodations "clean and neat."
CPS said the move to the coliseum had been in the works since last week, but couldn't be done sooner because the facility had been booked for another event and had to be cleaned and set up for the children.
CPS also said about two dozen teenage boys were moved to a facility outside San Angelo with the judge's permission. "We don't normally say where we place teens," Gonzales said when asked where they were sent.
Monday's courtroom conference was held to work out the ground rules for a court hearing beginning Thursday on the fate of the children.
The judge made no immediate decisions on how the hearing will be carried out. Among the questions left unanswered: Would a courtroom big enough to hold everyone be available at the Tom Green County Courthouse, or would some kind of video link be employed?
Texas bar officials said more than 350 lawyers from across the state have volunteered to represent the children free of charge. Moreover, the 139 mothers who voluntarily left the sect to be with their children will need lawyers, too, to help them fight for custody.
The sheer numbers left the judge perplexed as she considered suggestions from the lawyers for how to handle Thursday's hearing.
"It would seem inefficient to have a witness testify 416 times," the judge offered. "If I gave everybody five minutes, that would be 70 hours."
In an unintended illustration of the problem, Walther gave the lawyers 30 minutes to break into groups and report back to her with ideas. It took almost two hours for everyone to reassemble.
The raid followed a call to a domestic violence hot line from a 16-year-old girl who said she was beaten and raped by her 50-year-old husband.
In addition to becoming a monumental legal morass, the case is proving to be a public-relations headache for the state.
Over the weekend, some of the mothers went on the offensive, complaining the children are falling ill and are frightened and traumatized from living in cramped conditions at the fort, with cots, cribs and playpens lined up side by side.
The secretive nature of the sect — and the indoctrination children receive from birth to mistrust outsiders — have added to the confusion.
Randoll Stout, one of the lawyers who plan to represent some of the children, said the youngsters "seem to change their names. Adults change their names. Children are passed around."
Betty Balli Torres, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, said 10 women went into the San Angelo legal aid office last week seeking help and reported there were 100 more women who needed lawyers.
Attorneys began meeting with the women over the weekend. She said it was vital that the mothers be represented by lawyers. Otherwise, they could lose their children — "what we call kind of the death penalty of family law cases," she said.
A church lawyer, Rod Parker, said the 60 or so men remaining on the 1,700-acre ranch have offered to leave the compound if the state would allow the women and children to return to the place with child welfare monitors. But the state Children's Protective Services agency said it had not yet seen the offer and had no comment on it.
The sect practices polygamy in arranged marriages between underage girls and older men. The group has thousands of followers in two side-by-side towns in Arizona and Utah. The sect's prophet and spiritual leader, Warren Jeffs, is in prison for forcing an underage age into a marriage in Utah.
In Salt Lake City, dozens of polygamist wives with children in tow held a rally on the steps of City Hall to denounce the Texas raid. Rally organizers brought 475 wrapped care packages for the children in state custody.
"Reunite these children with their families. Let them go home," said Kent Johnson, an 18-year-old in a pinstripe suit who choked up.
Associated Press reporter Kelley Shannon contributed to this story from Austin.
“at first blush, to take the men off the ranch and leave the women and children”
It seems to me that the women are complicit in the crimes of the men. They were providing the children for sex with the men.
What?
That's news to me, and I can't stand the has-been, worst-president-ever Jimmah.
Do you have a source?
Notice how the prosecutor is not having any Nifong style press conferences?
I think the lawyer in charge knows they are in trouble. (or at least have a problem)
My two cents...the FDLS pervs are pretty savvy at playing both welfare fraud, but also obfiscating state inquiries into their 'cult' by making personal id's hard to obtain. I reference that by the fact that the name used by the 16 year old girl (who made the original call) at the hospital (where she was treated for the injuries from a beating) was also 'used' by multiples girls of that age during the questioning by the TX authorities. The kids have been 'schooled' since birth to distrust all outsiders and to lie about something as simple as their name...
Wow. Interesting link you posted. I’m going to set forth the listed children from that like here:
2779 IN THE INTEREST OF BABY GIRL JESSOP #26600675, A CHILD
2780 IN THE INTEREST OF VILATE NIELSEN, A CHILD
2781 IN THE INTEREST OF ESTER NIELSON, A CHILD
2782 IN THE INTEREST OF MARILYN ROBACK, A CHILD
2783 IN THE INTEREST OF SUSIE ANN JEFFS, A CHILD
2784 IN THE INTEREST OF SHANALYN JEFFS, A CHILD
2785 IN THE INTEREST OF SETH JEFFS, A CHILD
2786 IN THE INTEREST OF JOSIAH BARLOW JEFFS, A CHILD
2787 IN THE INTEREST OF STEED JEFFS, A CHILD
2788 IN THE INTEREST OF LEAH JESSOP JEFFS, A CHILD
2789 IN THE INTEREST OF MARILEE JEFFS, A CHILD
2790 IN THE INTEREST OF KAYLEE JEFFS, A CHILD
2791 IN THE INTEREST OF RICHARD JEFFS, A CHILD
2792 IN THE INTEREST OF JOSEPH SMITH JEFFS, A CHILD
2793 IN THE INTEREST OF JAMES RULON JEFFS, A CHILD
2794 IN THE INTEREST OF HANNAH JEFFS, A CHILD
2795 IN THE INTEREST OF ALLEN JEFFS, A CHILD
2796 IN THE INTEREST OF SAMANTHA EMAK, A CHILD
2797 IN THE INTEREST OF ETZEL #26609430, A CHILD
2798 IN THE INTEREST OF FREDDIE #26609430, A CHILD
2799 IN THE INTEREST OF ABRAHAM #26609359, A CHILD
2800 IN THE INTEREST OF AMBER #26609387, A CHILD
2801 IN THE INTEREST OF ANN #26609432, A CHILD
2802 IN THE INTEREST OF DANIELLE BARLOW, A CHILD
2803 IN THE INTEREST OF EZRA BARLOW, A CHILD
2804 IN THE INTEREST OF RENON BARLOW, A CHILD
2805 IN THE INTEREST OF STEVEN BARLOW, A CHILD
2806 IN THE INTEREST OF BEN #26690422, A CHILD
2807 IN THE INTEREST OF BRENDA #26690422, A CHILD
2808 IN THE INTEREST OF ABRAM BARLOW, A CHILD
2809 IN THE INTEREST OF AMON BARLOW, A CHILD
2810 IN THE INTEREST OF AUTUMN BARLOW, A CHILD
2811 IN THE INTEREST OF IDA #26609422, A CHILD
2812 IN THE INTEREST OF NAOMI (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609432, A CHILD
2813 IN THE INTEREST OF NAOMI #26609436, A CHILD
2814 IN THE INTEREST OF NETTIE #26609402, A CHILD
2815 IN THE INTEREST OF JAMES #26609371, A CHILD
2816 IN THE INTEREST OF ABRAHAM LEROY JESSUP, A/K/A ABRAHAM LeROY JESSOP,
A/K/A ABRAHAM LEROY JESSUP, A/K/A ABRAHAM LeROY JESSUP, A CHILD
2817 IN THE INTEREST OF ANDREW JESSOP, A CHILD
2818 IN THE INTEREST OF BENJAMIN JESSOP, A CHILD
2819 IN THE INTEREST OF BETHANY JESSOP, A CHILD
2820 IN THE INTEREST OF CHARITY JESSOP, A CHILD
2821 IN THE INTEREST OF DAVID LEROY JESSOP, A/K/A DAVID LeROY
JESSOP, A/K/A DAVID LEROY JESSUP, A/K/A DAVID LeROY JESSOP, A CHILD
2822 IN THE INTEREST OF JAMES JESSOP, A CHILD
2823 IN THE INTEREST OF ALLEN DUTSON, A CHILD
2824 IN THE INTEREST OF MORONI DUTSON, A CHILD
2825 IN THE INTEREST OF NANCY DUTSON, A CHILD
2826 IN THE INTEREST OF REBECCA DUTSON, A CHILD
2827 IN THE INTEREST OF SHAUNA DUTSON, A CHILD
2828 IN THE INTEREST OF BRIGHAM EMACK, A CHILD
2829 IN THE INTEREST OF WADE LYNDSAY, A CHILD
2830 IN THE INTEREST OF ROULENE DUTSON, A CHILD
2831 IN THE INTEREST OF MALE CHILD (NAME UNKNOWN), A CHILD
2832 IN THE INTEREST OF ZAYNE LYNDSAY, A CHILD
2833 IN THE INTEREST OF MARYANN (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609422, A CHILD
2834 IN THE INTEREST OF MARYANN(LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609432, A CHILD
2835 IN THE INTEREST OF MATY (LAST NAME UNKNOWN), A CHILD
2836 IN THE INTEREST OF NAOMI ROBACK, A CHILD
2837 IN THE INTEREST OF RULON ROBACK, A CHILD
2838 IN THE INTEREST OF RULEN #26609402, A CHILD
2839 IN THE INTEREST OF RULON #26609387 (LAST NAME UKNOWN) A CHILD
2840 IN THE INTEREST OF RULON #26609395, A CHILD
2841 IN THE INTEREST OF RULON #26609432 (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) A CHILD
2842 IN THE INTEREST OF RULON #26609435, A CHILD
2843 IN THE INTEREST OF JOESON JESSOP, A CHILD
2844 IN THE INTEREST OF JOSEPH JESSOP, A CHILD
2845 IN THE INTEREST OF LEROY SUNDERLAND JESSOP, A/K/A LeROY SUNDERLAND
JESSOP, A/K/A LEROY SUNDERLAND JESSUP, A/K/A LeROY SUNDERLAND JESSUP, A CHILD
2846 IN THE INTEREST OF LYLE LEROY JESSOP, A/K/A LYLE LeROY JESSOP,
A/K/A LYLE LEROY JESSUP, A/K/A LYLE LeROY JESSUP, A CHILD
2847 IN THE INTEREST OF MARIA JESSOP, A/K/A MARIA JESSUP, A CHILD
2848 IN THE INTEREST OF MELANIE JESSOP, A/K/A MELANIE JESSUP, A CHILD
2849 IN THE INTEREST OF MELISSA JESSOP, A CHILD
2850 IN THE INTEREST OF REBECCA JESSOP, A CHILD
2851 IN THE INTEREST OF SARA #26609406, A CHILD
2852 IN THE INTEREST OF SETH (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609403, A CHILD
2853 IN THE INTEREST OF SHAWN #26609430, A CHILD
2854 IN THE INTEREST OF ANGELA STEED, A CHILD
2855 IN THE INTEREST OF HARMONY STEED, A CHILD
2856 IN THE INTEREST OF JOSIE STEED, A CHILD
2857 IN THE INTEREST OF SARAH JESSOP BARLOW, A/K/A SARAH BARLOW, A CHILD
2858 IN THE INTEREST OF ESTHER NIELSEN, A/K/A ESTHER NEILSEN, A CHILD
2859 IN THE INTEREST OF KAYLEE STEED, A CHILD
2860 IN THE INTEREST OF ESTHER NIELSON, A CHILD
2861 IN THE INTEREST OF KENDRA STEED, A CHILD
2862 IN THE INTEREST OF LEANNA STEED, A CHILD
2863 IN THE INTEREST OF CURTIS LYNDSAY, A CHILD
2864 IN THE INTEREST OF DANIEL LYNDSAY, A CHILD
2865 IN THE INTEREST OF WENDELL JESSOP, A CHILD
2866 IN THE INTEREST OF WILLIAM LEROY JESSOP, A/K/A WILLIAM LeROY JESSOP,
A/K/A WILLIAM LEROY JESSUP, A/K/A WILLIAM LeROY JESSUP, A CHILD
2867 IN THE INTEREST OF YVONNE JESSOP, A CHILD
2868 IN THE INTEREST OF ZIANA JESSOP, A CHILD
2869 IN THE INTEREST OF AVALON JOHNSON, A CHILD
2870 IN THE INTEREST OF SERMELIA JOHNSON, A CHILD
2871 IN THE INTEREST OF SUZANNE JOHNSON, A CHILD
2972 IN THE INTEREST OF VILATE JOHNSON, A CHILD
2873 IN THE INTEREST OF JOSHUA #26609395, A CHILD
2874 IN THE INTEREST OF LORETTA (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609432, A CHILD
2875 IN THE INTEREST OF LESLIE STEED, A CHILD
2876 IN THE INTEREST OF LEVI STEED, A CHILD
2877 IN THE INTEREST OF LISA STEED, A CHILD
2878 IN THE INTEREST OF LUCINDA STEED, A CHILD
2879 IN THE INTEREST OF LUKE STEED, A CHILD
2880 IN THE INTEREST OF MARTHA STEED, A CHILD
2881 IN THE INTEREST OF MARY STEED, A CHILD
2882 IN THE INTEREST OF MATY STEED, A CHILD
2883 IN THE INTEREST OF MORMON #26609402, A CHILD
2884 IN THE INTEREST OF MILLENNIA #26609395, A CHILD
2885 IN THE INTEREST OF SYLVIA STEED, A CHILD
2886 IN THE INTEREST OF RULEN STEED, A CHILD
2887 IN THE INTEREST OF SARAH STEED, A CHILD
2888 IN THE INTEREST OF SHEM STEED, A CHILD
2889 IN THE INTEREST OF TROY STEED, A CHILD
2890 IN THE INTEREST OF WOODY (LAST NAME UNKNOWN) #26609405, A CHILD
2891 IN THE INTEREST OF WENDELL #26609406, A CHILD
2892 IN THE INTEREST OF WARREN #26609395, A CHILD
2893 IN THE INTEREST OF UNKNOWN BABY BOY #26609354, A CHILD
2894 IN THE INTEREST OF SUNSHINE #26609383, A CHILD
2895 IN THE INTEREST OF ZANE STEED, A CHILD
2896 IN THE INTEREST OF RACHEL STEED, A CHILD
2897 IN THE INTEREST OF OLIVE STEED, A CHILD
2898 IN THE INTEREST OF NAOMI STEED, A CHILD
2899 IN THE INTEREST OF MONICA STEED, A CHILD
2900 IN THE INTEREST OF MIRANDA STEED, A CHILD
2901 IN THE INTEREST OF HYRUM SMITH JEFFS, A CHILD
2902 IN THE INTEREST OF 330 CHILDREN FROM THE YFZ RANCH
2903 IN THE INTEREST OF 16 CHILDREN FROM THE YFZ RANCH
True. I agree.
The issue of polygamy and welfare fraud in the Muslim community. Same type of thing going on there.
Perhaps. But they were targeting one specific man, who hasn’t left Arizona in at least five years. Also, notice that all the of the lurid allegations have come from an anonymous telephone call, from a girl that no one is sure even exists. With the details she supposedly gave, that are online in the probable cause statement, she should have been easy to identify, regardless of the name she gave. She would be pregnant, have evidence of a recent beating, and there would be some evidence that she had been treated at a hospital.
Also, they have had 416 children and some number of women in custody now for how long? But no lurid details emerging from a real, live person?
I believe that if the authorities think they have a shadow of a smidgen of success, they hold a press conference
Pregnant girls ages 13 and 14 - that's pretty lurid.
And how many of them have been confirmed.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with these polygamists. But, if they would limit themselves to girls above the age of consent, and not commit welfare fraud — and I’m not sure the FLDS engage in welfare fraud — I think they should be left alone. If they are not marrying underage girls and not commiting welfare fraud, they are not hurting anybody.
And, in a country where 25 percent of the teenage girls on the outside have venereal diseases, it’s hard to get as worked up even over underage marriages as it used to be.
She said yes, she knew her history and she has a college degree. You could tell he was not impressed with that answer.
Cooper and 360 have been on this case for several years, starting with the Warren Jeffs trial.
There was a reporter in Colorado City who said how he was chased out of town today by thugs.
Even the local police in that area are polygamists. Cooper said it is hard to imagine things like that happening in America today.
Anderson gives this story the exposure it deserves.
Oh please. Your spin for polygamists is ridiculous.
The warrant was issued last week, before the Rangers met with the Dale Barlow in AZ.
According to the CDC, 11.7% of teens were pregnant in the general population in the U.S. while 3.7% of teens 13-17 were pregnant.
With a reported 15-20 teens pregnant out of the 416 forcibly removed from their homes in Texas the pregnancy rate for these girls could be stated as 3.6-4.8 percent, roughly the same as the nation as a whole.
Why doesn’t the state take away all the children?
In the interest of full disclosure, you are LDS, are you not?
If these same actions were taken by an individual they would be seen as kidnapping.
If crimes have been committed, reserve punishment until conviction.
Of course. So what?
The warrant may have been issued before they talked with Barlow, but it was executed afterward, according to Barlow’s lawyer in Arizona.
And the citizens of the State of Texas will pay heavily for the incompetence.
The really sad thing is that the abusers will most likely get off scot-free.
L
With a reported 15-20 teens pregnant out of the 416 forcibly removed from their homes in Texas the pregnancy rate for these girls could be stated as 3.6-4.8 percent, roughly the same as the nation as a whole.
All 416 teens were not girls, and all were not between the ages of 13-17. I wonder what the percentage of girls between 13-17 residing at the compound were pregnant.
Based upon statistics, if one half of all children were female we are down to 208. if we divide 208 by 17 (for each year under age 18) we would have approximately 12 of each age. If you then times 12 by 5, you get the approximate number of female children ages 13-17, or about 60 girls. If 15 to 20 of them are pregnant, we have a pregnancy rate of 25 to 33% which is 10 TIMES the rate of pregnancy nation wide.
Your comparison is faulty.
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