Warrant dropped against man named in polygamist retreat raid

An arrest warrant has been dropped for a man thought to be the husband of a teenage girl whose report of abuse triggered a raid on a polygamous sect's Texas compound, authorities said Friday.

[Nimrod]

This 'kidnapping' of 464 CHILDREN by CPS authorities in Texas is APPALLING!

How many of these 464 children are under 10 years of age? Probably MOST of them, I'm guessing. Okay, maybe they need to err on the side of caution in the case of teen girls and adolescents, but there is NO GOOD REASON to keep those 10 and under from their mothers.

They are being TRAUMATIZED severely by being yanked away from their mothers and homes, no matter how good the foster care--and I say that as a CT DCF licensed foster parent.

[Still ongoing]

All it takes is 1 underage girl to give birth and that should be IT for that encampment.

That entire multiple wives thing has to end, that is not legal and it is not moral.

Ok, so all we've been hearing from is the females involved in this and haven't heard a peep from the rapists.

[Come on]

In this country, girls who are 14 - 17 are GIRLS and NOT ADULTS. Why should it matter what this sect deems appropriate for their girls. These children had no choice. They ARE NOT adults. If these children are deemed to be adults, then all of our teen girls are in danger in this country. Laws must be abided, even by these crazy religious sects. They don't live outside of the laws of this country. Protect our children, protect our girls!!!

[explanation needed]

Mikester wrote:

Oh, I guess we should all submit to being chipped at birth now, just for situations like this
PLEASE DO NOT FEED IN TO THIS HYSTERIA PEOPLE....
It's a set up........

Mikester you have to explain what you mean by being chipped at birth, explain what hysteria you are talking about and explain the "set up" and how it relates to the topic.

Let's see how well you do.

[Alice]

Come on wrote:

In this country, girls who are 14 - 17 are GIRLS and NOT ADULTS. Why should it matter what this sect deems appropriate for their girls. These children had no choice. They ARE NOT adults. If these children are deemed to be adults, then all of our teen girls are in danger in this country. Laws must be abided, even by these crazy religious sects. They don't live outside of the laws of this country. Protect our children, protect our girls!!!

Texas allowed 14 year olds to marry if their parents approved (until 3 years ago). Then FLDS moved in. So the law was changed.
Now someone has to be 16 to marry with parental concern. No matter that you think of anyone under 17 as a child. TX still believes 16 year old can marry if parents approve.

[to Still ongoing]

Still ongoing wrote:

All it takes is 1 underage girl to give birth and that should be IT for that encampment.
That entire multiple wives thing has to end, that is not legal and it is not moral.
Ok, so all we've been hearing from is the females involved in this and haven't heard a peep from the rapists.

I really hope there is not going to be an underage pregnancy in my neighborhood. Thhey would cart off chidren from the entire zip area, right ?

Legals is nice. Go to a catholic church and see the Father (yeah, they call call that guy Father, isn't that suspicious ?) serve red wine to anyone who comes up, even really young children. And he won't card you. And I doubt he has a liquor license. That cannot possibly be legal. And hey, those Fathers have fathered quite a few, and molested quite a few. So when are catholic kids getting removed for their own protection ? Come on folks, this does not pass the giggle test.

Moral ? Go see if you can find a more fluid term.

Rapist peeping ? Maybe there aren't any ? And if there are, they probably have the half brain that it would take to figure out that silence is golden and don't you volunteer any DNA.

Even that polygamy thing is goofy. How do you prove polygamy ? "Hey guy, yes, I guess I have spread my genes around some, but what can I do, ladies like me. Hot commodity, that' what I am. I guess you could say I have a few mistress type arrangements in addition to this here my wedded wife. She is a tolerant woman, I guess there is plenty enough left for her. An open marriage, as they say. That not illegal, is it ?"
Gets quite messy pretty fast, and then again there is this giggle test.

Meanwhile, it seems that nobody is accused of anyting specific, much less convicted, everyone can go free, but their children will be taken. Heck, with this sort of justice, who even needs jails ? You just take someone's kids away, and why bother putthing him in jail ? He's done for.

[Cynical]

Come on wrote:

In this country, girls who are 14 - 17 are GIRLS and NOT ADULTS. Why should it matter what this sect deems appropriate for their girls. These children had no choice. They ARE NOT adults. If these children are deemed to be adults, then all of our teen girls are in danger in this country. Laws must be abided, even by these crazy religious sects. They don't live outside of the laws of this country. Protect our children, protect our girls!!!

OMG...are you for real? When do you think "girls" start having sex these days? When they turn 18? "Come on" out into the real world. Whether we like it or not, 13 & 14 year old girls are having sex...all over the place, even in Deerfield (if that's where you are from).
When I was growing up, did I have any choices about the religion that I would be brought up in? Duh...NOOOOO! Why is this different? Did I have a choice as to what disciplines I would be brought up with? Duh...NOOO! NO CHILDREN HAVE CHOICES AS TO THEIR UPBRINGING. It is the beliefs of the parents that they are "FORCED" to live whether it be Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Lutheran or FLDS. Should ALL children be taken from their parents at birth to avoid being "forced" into a belief system? Just because their beliefs conflict with yours does not make it wrong and does not justify government intervention.

[Dienne]

I cannot believe that you people think that forcing a young girl into marriage with her first cousin is in any way acceptable, that it's just "a different lifestyle and a different belief system".

[BONNYOSHEA]

Nimrod wrote:

This 'kidnapping' of 464 CHILDREN by CPS authorities in Texas is APPALLING!
How many of these 464 children are under 10 years of age? Probably MOST of them, I'm guessing. Okay, maybe they need to err on the side of caution in the case of teen girls and adolescents, but there is NO GOOD REASON to keep those 10 and under from their mothers.
They are being TRAUMATIZED severely by being yanked away from their mothers and homes, no matter how good the foster care--and I say that as a CT DCF licensed foster parent.

I think the parents of these children have shown that they do not deserve the privilege of raising these children,and that includes the mothers !! For a mother to allow her daughters to be used in this manner tells me that mommie needs help too ! And they should get it,but not while caring for these poor children !!

[Hold please]

I've read all the posts here and it seems to me that everyone is missing the point - push aside the moral questions or how old someone is to have sex and what's at the heart of things here is the fact that this whole sect is all about CONTROL. It's not that these people are exercising their right to do what they think they should, it's that there is one person telling them what they should do. Which is worse - following community standards (i.e. the law in this case) or the "teachings" of one man? There is no choice in this community of how you want to live or who or when you want to marry.
And make no mistake, it's not the fact that underage girls are having sex, that's blaming the victims. It's that an adult is having sex with underage girls - that's where the crime lies. Molestation is a crime, every state has laws against it. And it's usually defined as the engaging in sexual practices with someone under the age of consent (between 17 and 18, depending on the state). So Still Ongoing is right - all it takes is for someone of the age of consent to have sexual relations with 1 underage person and it's all over.
And it's easy to prove polygamy, but it requires multiple state-issued marriage licenses. If this individual doesn't recognize state law, then I'm guessing that he probably never bothered to get himself licenses.
The problem I have is with the mothers - have they lived in this community that they don't see what's happening? Do they so blindly follow their leader they don't realize what danger their own children are in? See, this is what's wrong with cults like this group - the members are so sheltered from any outside influence, that no one has the ability to say, "You know, maybe this isn't such a hot idea." It's all about control. Mikester and Cynical, I infer from your comments that you're afraid of control as well (just from a different source).

[Hold please]

BONNYOSHEA wrote:

<quoted text>I think the parents of these children have shown that they do not deserve the privilege of raising these children,and that includes the mothers !! For a mother to allow her daughters to be used in this manner tells me that mommie needs help too ! And they should get it,but not while caring for these poor children !!

Amen. But first you need to show them a different way than what they've been taught all their lives.

[Cynical]

Dienne wrote:

I cannot believe that you people think that forcing a young girl into marriage with her first cousin is in any way acceptable, that it's just "a different lifestyle and a different belief system".

Sweetie..if you are of one of the Christian faiths...read your bible. Go through all the "begats", look at how many wives some of these guys had. Women are second class citizens in ALL organized religions, not just FLDS. If you want to end this all...PUT AN END TO ALL ORGANIZED RELIGIONS. Don't just focus on one because it does not conform with your personal beliefs. Don't judge others...lest you yourself be judged. As I stated before, children are raised in the ways of the parents. If the parents believe in polygamy, then that is what the children are taught. If they believe that a "girl" should be sealed to an older man, that is their belief...it may not be yours, but it is THEIRS!. Remember that little "freedom of religion" thing that a revolutionary war was fought over? This religion has been around for hundreds of years...it didn't just spring up within the last 25 years.

[Cynical]

Hold please wrote:

I've read all the posts here and it seems to me that everyone is missing the point - push aside the moral questions or how old someone is to have sex and what's at the heart of things here is the fact that this whole sect is all about CONTROL. It's not that these people are exercising their right to do what they think they should, it's that there is one person telling them what they should do. Which is worse - following community standards (i.e. the law in this case) or the "teachings" of one man? There is no choice in this community of how you want to live or who or when you want to marry.
And make no mistake, it's not the fact that underage girls are having sex, that's blaming the victims. It's that an adult is having sex with underage girls - that's where the crime lies. Molestation is a crime, every state has laws against it. And it's usually defined as the engaging in sexual practices with someone under the age of consent (between 17 and 18, depending on the state). So Still Ongoing is right - all it takes is for someone of the age of consent to have sexual relations with 1 underage person and it's all over.
And it's easy to prove polygamy, but it requires multiple state-issued marriage licenses. If this individual doesn't recognize state law, then I'm guessing that he probably never bothered to get himself licenses.
The problem I have is with the mothers - have they lived in this community that they don't see what's happening? Do they so blindly follow their leader they don't realize what danger their own children are in? See, this is what's wrong with cults like this group - the members are so sheltered from any outside influence, that no one has the ability to say, "You know, maybe this isn't such a hot idea." It's all about control. Mikester and Cynical, I infer from your comments that you're afraid of control as well (just from a different source).

My friend...EVERY RELIGION IS ABOUT CONTROL...Catholic, Lutheran, Jewish, Muslim etc... If you can name me one that isn't I will back down. This is about the religious beliefs of a group of people...no different than the Amish who isolate themselves because they do not want the outside influences. It is about parents who pass down their beliefs to their children..no different than any other religion. What you are zeroing in on is that everyone finds that adults having sex with what our society defines as children distasteful/illegal...but that is one opinion AND ONLY YOUR OR THEIR OPINION. In the FLDS world this is acceptable practice. Are they not allowed to follow their religious principles because they do not agree with the majority? Maybe that's why they have isolated themselves...to keep out these disruptive outside influences. Read all the news stories. These kids were not unhappy with their life because this WAS their life. Now you take it away and say, but we will give you something better. You can live in a world of street corner rape, bodies in dumpsters, drive by shootings, robberies, muggings, violence on TV and in movies plus as a bonus we'll take you to church where you can be molested by priests, etc..and that will be MUCH better for you because you won't have to be "sealed" to an older man. I'm not sure the world they are being brought into is all that great either.
Finally, this whole hoopla probably came about because some sexually repressed person outside the "sect" (news term, not mine) made a fraudulent phone call...interesting that they have never found the "girl" that made the call. I would think she would have been jumping up and down yelling save me! save me from the abuse! It's now starting to look like a HOAX even to the government employees.

[Rude Boy]

I'm just sitting here shaking my head at the posts here. What is going on?

Was America founded on religious freedom? Why condemn those who practice differently than you?

Why is it right to take children from their mothers? The mothers committed no crimes. They may think differently than you do but that's not a crime - yet.

If you want to arrest the fathers and take them out of the picture, fine. Let the courts decide.

Do you people who are judging so severely know what went on? No. All you know is the line of propaganda you've been fed by the press. Do you think they're being objective? Accurate?

So many judgmental, narrow minded puritans!

[YHT]

this is tragic. how do we keep young girls safe from mind control and in this case rape. this is horrible. females in this country are sold out by our courts, our medical community... it's terrible. those poor children don't stand a chance with those icky men. why isn't anyone doing anything to help them?

[Broccoli EAT ME]

I understand the freedom of religion arguments that are being made here, and for the most part, they are legitimate. However, our culture here in the US has evolved, and grown to be more humane than we were just not that long ago. Remember slavery? Many deemed that slavery was a legitimate practice because of some biblical reference. They could of easily claimed that owning slaves was simply practicing 'religious freedom.' During the civil war, many did attempt to use that argument. That didn't excuse the horrific human rights violations that took place against black men, women and children at that time. The inhumanity was recognized and stopped. In other words just because something always has been, doesn't mean it always will be. Our senses of what is moral and just will continue to evolve as we evolve as a human race.

In Africa, genital mutilation of pubescent women was also considered a cultural 'norm.' The mothers of these girls would shave their daugthers heads, flatten their breasts with a hot wooden bar, and remove the clitoris with a razor blade. The surgery was fatal to many due to infection. The pain was absolutely tremendous. But it was done by African mothers to keep their daugthers in school, and not available to the men in the community. They learned this from their tribal elders, without really knowing or questioning the origin of it and not knowing how truly damaging it was. In the last 10 years, this practice has come under such fire from human rights activists, that many tribes in Africa now recognize this to be a despicable practice and have banned it outright. Sometimes education is all it takes for deep-rooted beliefs to be altered permanently.

Just because FLDS has been around for hundreds of years, and has practiced polygamy and marriage of children as young as 10, that doesn't mean that they need remain this way forever, and their behavior doesn't need to be recognized for the human rights violation it is. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be a for a 12 year-old girl, who probably just started menstruating, to be forced to marry her 50 something year-old cousin or uncle, and then be forced to have sex with him, right then and there, in the church, in front of the entire community. I can only imagine the pain she feels, the shame, the confusion and the terror. Just because this is all they 'know' doesn't mean no one in the sect questions it on a personal level. The women do as they are told, because that is how they were raised.

Comparisons to other religions is ludicrous. Most other religions have freedom of CHOICE. I may have been raised Catholic, but that doesn't mean that I can't convert to Judaism at any time I choose. I will not lose my job, I will not be forced out of my home and dumped in an environment that I am not familiar with and don't know how to survive in. Even the Amish have the opportunity to take part in the 'real world' during their teen years, and determine for themselves if they want to stay in the Amish community for the rest of their lives, or join mainstream society.

The members of FLDS do NOT have any choices. Boys are forced out on to the streets, without money, or support, if they are viewed as 'competition' for the older men in the group. Where is their choice? The young girls are forced into marriage, sex and babies long before they are phsyically prepared for any of that. Where is their choice? They can't say 'no'.

As far as the culture in India... that is not the United States, and they don't have to abide by our laws. FLDS is not a country on to itself, and it does not get to choose what US laws to follow, and what laws they will not.

Under Texas law, what they do is considered child rape, and they should be charged accordingly.

[Kim]

These crazy sect/cult people should all be in jail (the adults) for breaking the law by practicing polygamy and forcing minors into disgusting acts with older men. Just because they are dilusional and abnormal people doesn't put them above the law. The children they took away from the cult are better off not being in the cult so they won't be abused and forced into illegal acts with disgusting older men.

[Kim]

Rude Boy wrote:

I'm just sitting here shaking my head at the posts here. What is going on?
Was America founded on religious freedom? Why condemn those who practice differently than you?
Why is it right to take children from their mothers? The mothers committed no crimes. They may think differently than you do but that's not a crime - yet.
If you want to arrest the fathers and take them out of the picture, fine. Let the courts decide.
Do you people who are judging so severely know what went on? No. All you know is the line of propaganda you've been fed by the press. Do you think they're being objective? Accurate?
So many judgmental, narrow minded puritans!

You say the "mothers committed no crimes." I would say that allowing your female child who is under age 18 to marry and engage in disgusting acts with an older man against their will is DEFINITELY a crime. You are probably some sick older perv who thinks it's a great idea. Why don't you move to Texas and join this cult?

[Terri]

The judge is nuts.

[concerned]

Cynical wrote:

<quoted text>
OMG...are you for real? When do you think "girls" start having sex these days? When they turn 18? "Come on" out into the real world. Whether we like it or not, 13 & 14 year old girls are having sex...all over the place, even in Deerfield (if that's where you are from).
When I was growing up, did I have any choices about the religion that I would be brought up in? Duh...NOOOOO! Why is this different? Did I have a choice as to what disciplines I would be brought up with? Duh...NOOO! NO CHILDREN HAVE CHOICES AS TO THEIR UPBRINGING. It is the beliefs of the parents that they are "FORCED" to live whether it be Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Lutheran or FLDS. Should ALL children be taken from their parents at birth to avoid being "forced" into a belief system? Just because their beliefs conflict with yours does not make it wrong and does not justify government intervention.

According to your beiefs there are a lot of guys in jail who should be released. If it is all right for these polygamists to marry and have sex with these young girls, then it should be alright for everybody, can't have your cake and eat it too