Hearing Begins Thursday On Fate Of Children From Polygamist Compound
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Hearing Begins Thursday On Fate Of Children From Polygamist Compound
In a courtroom likely to be packed with attorneys and parents, a custody hearing gets underway Thursday on the fate of more than 400 children removed from a sprawling Texas polygamist compound.
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(April 17, 2008)—Parents and attorneys are expected to pack a courtroom Thursday in San Angelo as a custody hearing gets underway that will determine the fate of 416 children removed from a polygamist compound in West Texas.

About 350 lawyers were expected to converge on the courthouse Thursday.

It is believed to be one of the largest child custody cases in the history of the U.S.

Because of the larger number of parties involved in the hearing, seating for reporters is limited

A live video feed of the proceedings will be shown in the auditorium of San Angelo’s City Hall.

State authorities raided the site about two weeks ago in search of a 16-year-old girl who claimed in a call to an abuse hotline that her husband beat and raped her.

The search of the one-time wildlife ranch revealed that a soaring white limestone temple at the ranch held a bed where officials believe underage girls were required to consummate their spiritual marriages to much older men.

Welfare officials removed all 416 children living at the ranch, but the 16-year-old has yet to be found.

Members gave a few tours of the sprawling and secluded compound this week to show their lives center on family and faith.

A 24-year-old named "Dan" says each family begins and ends the day with prayer.

Dan also said it was "lifeless" at the site without the children.

His wife remains at the San Angelo Coliseum with their 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

The mothers of older children were returned to the compound.

Afterward, some of the mothers complained the state deceived them, revealing the plan only after they and their children boarded buses from historic Fort Concho, where they had been staying, to the larger San Angelo Coliseum.

"They took my little seven year old girl," said Marilyn, an FLDS member who declined to give her last name.

"And they lied to us."

Latest Comments

Posted by: Jon on Apr 17, 2008 at 09:28 PM

Lauren and rob rob You guys are sickos. If you have children, they need to be taken away from you until we can determine if you are fit. I guess "presumed innocence" is just folly to you witch hunters.
Posted by: Lauren Location: Coolidge on Apr 17, 2008 at 09:22 AM

Give those kids to people that can try to give them a normal life.
Posted by: rob rob on Apr 17, 2008 at 07:12 AM

I said it before, and I'll say it again.These children cannot be given back to their parents until their parents have been investigated.They owe it to these kids to look into it.Their religious beliefs according to them allow the underage marriage.The law still applies to whatever religion you have, you aren't exempt because of your beliefs.A child will not tell the truth if their parents are around, and sad as it is,it is their way of protecting their parents. I've seen cases where a father molested his daughter, and she said nothing happened,when in fact she was pregnant with his child.I've seen kids that want to shield their parents from the pain of knowing that they have been "damaged" even when it was someone totally unrelated who damaged the child.Sometimes children think it is their fault things like this happen.Even if you didn't participate in the actual abuse, even knowing about it makes you just as guilty for not doing anything about it.I applaud the state for taking charge.
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