From Deseret News archives:
FLDS to quit underage marriages
"Our only focus at this time is to get the children home as quickly as possible. That's all we're going to be focusing our attention on the next few days," said Criselda Pac, an attorney for Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, which represents five FLDS mothers. "It's not an agreed order, it's the court's own order."
The Texas Supreme Court and Austin's 3rd Court of Appeals both ruled that Texas child welfare authorities acted improperly in removing more than 450 children from the YFZ Ranch while they investigated allegations of abuse. The courts ordered Walther to return the children to their parents, but allowed her to set conditions. The judge offered her own order, giving CPS broad authority, only to abruptly walk off the bench on Friday during negotiations.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid had gathered enough signatures from FLDS mothers to push the judge to sign its original agreement, but instead this latest version became the order.
"My clients are incredibly grateful and they really hope that their children get to come home," Balovich said. "They're ready to pick them up as soon as they can."
"It accomplishes two important goals. It allows the children to be returned safely to their families and caregivers in a prompt and orderly manner," agency spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said. "Second, the court's order ensures that the state's investigation of abuse and neglect continues with strong provisions in place to prevent interference and ensure compliance by the parents. The safety of these children remains our only goal in this case."
While the order returns all of the FLDS children, it does not end the child welfare investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect on the YFZ Ranch. That investigation will now enter a new phase with Texas Child Protective Services having to prove abuse individually instead of en masse like the judge's decision in April that placed hundreds of children into state custody.
"It remains to be seen what the process is going to look like for the investigation," said Laura Shockley, an attorney representing a group of young women the state alleged to be minors but were really adults.
The parents are willing to participate in the investigation, attorneys said. Some will not be returning to the YFZ Ranch to make a good-faith showing with CPS.
Jessop called on Texas officials not to get caught up in "vindictive agendas" and said it will take time for the families and children to heal from the horror of the raid.
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