The hand of a child, a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is seen up against the window of a bus members of tje group arrive at the San Angelo Coliseum after being relocated their from Fort Concho National Historic Landmark in San Angelo, Texas, Monday April 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Mothers of all but those 4 and younger were told they would no longer be allowed to stay with their children
FLDS children moved to sports arena
By William M. Welch, USA TODAY
Hundreds of children in state care following removal from a West Texas polygamy compound were moved Monday to a sports arena, and some were separated from their mothers, for their own safety, a state official said.
The relocation by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services came as a state court grappled with the complexities of one of the nation’s largest child custody cases.
An estimated 416 children were removed last week from the Yearning for Zion Ranch, a 1,691-acre farm and residential community near Eldorado, Texas, and home to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).
Until Monday, 139 mothers had been permitted to voluntarily remain with their children in state protective custody at Fort Concho in San Angelo, Texas, about 45 miles from the ranch.
But to relieve crowding, approximately 170 of the children and accompanying mothers were moved to another building, said Marleigh Meisner, spokesman for the state’s Child Protective Services.
When the San Angelo Coliseum became available Monday, children still at the fort were moved to the larger arena, she said.
Mothers of all but those 4 and younger were told they would no longer be allowed to stay with their children, she said. Meisner said some chose to return to their ranch and others accepted the state’s offer of “a safe place” elsewhere.
“Once we moved to the coliseum this afternoon, we notified the mothers who had children 5 years and older that they no longer would be able to stay with their children,” she said.
She said the moves were made for “the safety of the children” and in consultation with the court, mental health professionals and lawyers for some of the children.
Gerald Goldstein, attorney for the FLDS church, did not return a call seeking comment.
The children are being held in state protective custody pending a hearing Thursday in district court. On Monday, Texas District Court Judge Barbara Walther consulted with dozens of lawyers representing or hoping to represent children and other involved parties and said she was still trying to figure out how to manage a case involving perhaps hundreds of lawyers.
Texas officials have accused the sect of physically and sexually abusing children and arranging marriages of adult males with underage girls.
Law enforcement and child-welfare officers moved in on the ranch last week under court orders after a 16-year-old mother telephoned a crisis hotline and described abuse.
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8 responses so far ↓
Steven G. Erickson // April 15, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Why not take all the kids from Catholic families that still go to churches and support the Catholic religion after a child has been molested by a priest?
Since when does an anonymous comment that can’t be verified ended up where a whole community is invaded by jackbooted thugs, separating families, and hauling off citizens with armed, military style troops in America?
The Japanese interment camps in WWII and Indian Reservations were a black mark in American history. Here goes another.
The police can now make up a call into them and haul whole communities away in handcuffs taking away kids?
More of my thoughts [here]
-Steven G. Erickson
cobam // April 15, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I have ZERO sympathy for these moms who say they’re so distraught over having their children taken away. Where were their protective, maternal feelings when their 12, 13, 14-year-old daughters were being “married” (i.e. “MOLESTED”) by significantly older men? This is not motherly, responsible behavior. If this happened outside of a “religious sect” someone would go to prison!!
Hundreds of FLDS children detained in sports arena // April 15, 2008 at 10:19 pm
[...] pjwalker911 Blogged about a good topic today on aftermathnews.wordpress.comHere’s a summary…. [...]
Chuck // April 16, 2008 at 3:08 am
Why not prosecute all of the adults who witness and condone the rape of minors and force them to register as sex offenders. And after that raid and clean up all of these cult clans of perverts in the rest of the U. S. if we want to be called a civilized country. What are these morons thinking. How can they possibly think it is ok to brainwash and rape minors.
Lori Williams // April 16, 2008 at 3:56 am
I live in GA – my great grandmother was 14 when she married – stayed married over 50 years – a lot of our ancestors were married off early how do you think they controlled that “demon of sex” back then they just married them off –
I thought we had freedom of religion – no I don’t agree with their religion but I agree with the right they have to practice it.
If they had a informant in their for 4 years – did he just miss this all and then all of the sudden one call starts this one call they don’t know who made -
it ought to scare the hell out of all of us that they have this much power to take these kids and put them in OUR foster systym – like no kid has ever been mistreated, beaten, or raped there
Bill // April 16, 2008 at 6:31 am
How we can allow in the USA for Government to take children away from mothers based on just allegations. How we can allow persecution of the whole religious group. When this kind of things happens in other countries like communist China our Federal Government protests and strongly condemn it. Our country was founded by persecuted religious refugees, are we forget this.
wil // April 16, 2008 at 4:59 pm
They persecute homeschoolers in The Euro People’s Republic of Germany. And recent similar rulings in Kalifornia.
TheGhostWho Walks // April 22, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Once again Mr. Ericson shows that he is not taking his medication.
The Catholic abuse cases have no similarities to the case in West Texas. If you’re going to rant at least make sense!
Second- if a report of child sexual abuse is not investigated then who will protect the children? Not you obviously.
Third- The Internment camps and reservations are in no way related to the rescuing of children from child molesters. Again- you only look like a nut-case when you rave incoherently!
Please take your medication before they lock you away.