Thursday, May 22, 2008

Court: Texas had no right to take polygamists' kids

SAN ANGELO, Texas - A state appellate court has ruled that child welfare officials had no right to seize more than 400 children living at a polygamist sect's ranch.

The Third Court of Appeals in Austin ruled that the grounds for removing the children were "legally and factually insufficient" under Texas law. They did not immediately order the return of the children.

Child welfare officials removed the children on the grounds that the sect pushed underage girls into marriage and sex and trained boys to become future perpetrators.

The appellate court ruled the chaotic hearing held last month did not demonstrate the children were in any immediate danger, the only measure of taking children from their homes without court proceedings.

1 comment:

  1. This entire situation is tragic and has been handled poorly. They should've arrested the men (perpetrators) instead of hauling out all the children and victimizing them even more. Regardless of what may or may not have been going on in this FLDS ranch, it is scary to think that the government can come and take your kids based on a prank call.

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