April 10, 2008
More News on the Polygamous Sect in West Texas
More information has been released about some of the goings-on at the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) compound near Eldorado. A witness told authorities that beds at the "temple" there was used by older men to deflower their young (underage) brides. When authorities stormed the "temple", they discovered a bed in a dishevelled state, with a long hair therein. Found in the "temple annex" were computers and related equipment [Smoking Gun].
Authorities first disturbed the compound late last week after a 16-year-old girl phoned the police and said that she had been married, as well as physically and sexually-abused, by a 50-year-old man. This girl hasn't been found yet, but is believed to be among the more than 400 children and women removed from the compound by authorities. This is the largest case of child removal in state history [NPR].
Local police knew of the possible polygamy practices in this sect, but hadn't seen pregnant girls out there before. After the 1993 incident in Waco, authorities were most likely reticent to go in guns blazing, instead waiting for a resident of the compound (the teenage girl) to make the first move (at least that's a theory for why authorities waited so long to deal with the West Texas compound).
As of yesterday, authorities say that the search of the compound is complete. Now to deal with the custody of the hundreds of children removed from the sect . . .
[Tx Department of Family and Protective Services - Overview of the Investigation – Eldorado, Texas]
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well, it may be true that they didn't want another Waco, and as an aclu member I'm 100% for civil rights. but really, who didn't expect this to be going on? while the nsa is tapping the phones of suspected terrorists, they just let this go on uninvestigated? why? oh yeah, they're not muslims - I totally forgot.
Does anyone know of a charitable organization set up to help out these displaced women and children? I can't imagine that Texas will shelter them forever, and they'll probably need significant assistance transferring onto the grid.
There's info here:
http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/
The ranch has been active since 2004, very strange they waited this long. These girls are scarred
I don't disagree with you at all. These people are scarred by their experiences with the sect.
It looks like authorities have probably handled this as best they could, however, given the circumstances.
Parents are allowed to raise their kids the way they want without the interference of the state, barring evidence of criminal behavior.
Given the history of this sect, it's frustrating to see them metastasizing from Utah and Arizona to Texas--to eat up the limited funding given human services in this state.
This is an interesting case that highlights what is an acceptable balance between government intrusion and public safety and it's by no means over.