Court rules Texas had no right to seize polygamist sect children

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A Texas appeals court ruled Thursday the state had no right to seize hundreds of children from a polygamist religious sect because it failed to prove they were in immediate danger of abuse. The decision halted ongoing custody hearings and raised the possibility of a reunion between children and parents.

The 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin ruled that a San Angelo judge exceeded her authority last month in ordering into foster care every child who resided at the Yearning for Zion Ranch, not just the teenage girls who Texas Child Protective Services said were at risk of being sexually abused by marriages to older men it said the sect arranged.

"The Department (CPS) did not present any evidence of danger to the physical health or safety of any male children or any female children who had not reached puberty," the order by a three-judge panel of the appeals court said.

About half of the more than 460 children placed in protective custody were babies or toddlers.

The decision was greeted with jubilation among parents who were gathered at a San Angelo courthouse for their children's status hearings, which were immediately placed on hold.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5796565.html

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Basically, the only danger to the children was.....DUE to CPS in the first place, as this chopf#ck agency would actually have placed them in WORSE situations inevitably!

[Peikko 1,575]

Not quite true, the immediate danger was to the girls who had reached puberty but not adulthood - I don't know how many children that represents. Any 'closed' society is going to be prone to 'abusive' relationships and this one certainly had abusive relationships at its core. However, it appears as though the intervention was legally over zealous which could in fact lead to a worse situation for the children in the long term. One has to feel sorry for them.

[natty bumppo 297]

Not quite true, the immediate danger was to the girls who had reached puberty but not adulthood - I don't know how many children that represents. Any 'closed' society is going to be prone to 'abusive' relationships and this one certainly had abusive relationships at its core. However, it appears as though the intervention was legally over zealous which could in fact lead to a worse situation for the children in the long term. One has to feel sorry for them.

Guilty until proven innocent ?

[Peikko 1,575]

Erm, no, there are genuine accusations. The problem appears to be that these accusations were given as a reason to remove all the children (which I stated in another thread wasn't a great idea) from the compound.