Court reversal in sect children saga
Jim Forsyth; 24/5/08
Texas overstepped its authority when it removed some of about 460 children from a polygamist compound last month, a state appeals court has ruled. The ruling is the latest twist in a lurid tale of adolescent brides, teen pregnancies and a secretive religious sect following its faith in a dusty corner of the lone-star state. Although the court did not order the children’s immediate release, it raised the prospect of many of them being reunited with their families, possibly within 10 days. The children have been placed in foster homes scattered across Texas. Officials of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which led the raid on the ranch in Eldorado, defended their actions as being taken in the children’s interest and said they were considering their next steps. The state has 10 days to appeal against the ruling.