(May 17, 2008)--Texas authorities have released numbers showing that nearly 60 percent of the teenage girls taken from a polygamous sect's ranch were pregnant or had children, but in the past week, the state has twice been forced to admit "girls" who gave birth while in state custody were actually adults.
One was 22 and claims she showed state officials a Utah birth certificate shortly after she and more than 460 minors were removed from the compound in April.
The state has in custody two-dozen other young mothers and others whose ages are in dispute.
The Associated Press reports if it turns out the other 24 disputed minors are adults, the number of actual 14- to 17-year-old girls with children could drop to as low as five or six.
AP reports that would amount to about one-fifth of the girls that age found at the ranch, which is substantially higher than the average rate of teen pregnancies in Texas but a far cry from 60 percent.
Rod Parker with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says it's not widespread.
No one has been arrested or charged in the case.
Hearings are scheduled over the next three weeks to determine what steps the parents of the children will need to take to regain custody.
Save
Email
Print
18 comments
Terms of Use -
Privacy Policy -
EEO Statement
-
FCC Form 388