From Deseret News archives:
253 FLDS children now dropped from YFZ custody battle
Texas Child Protective Services spokesman Patrick Crimmins confirmed 56 more children from the Utah-based polygamous sect were nonsuited in a San Angelo court on Thursday.
"The total number of individuals nonsuited is 253 (including the 26 disputed minors)," Crimmins told the Deseret News.
The decision to nonsuit ends court jurisdiction over the children, but it does not necessarily end CPS oversight. The reasons to nonsuit have ranged from no evidence of abuse to their parents taking adequate steps to protect them. Children also have turned 18 and are aging out of the system.
"The nonsuits are part of the process as we continue to work through the cases. The investigation continues, and those findings we have yet to announce," Crimmins said. "The lawsuits are in a different category. We're nonsuiting those as we work through them."
On-site, authorities said they saw other signs of abuse that prompted a judge to order the removal of all of the children. They were placed in temporary shelters, then ordered to foster care. Two FLDS mothers gave birth, bringing the total to 465.
A pair of Texas courts ordered the children returned after ruling the state acted improperly and showed no evidence of imminent danger. The 26 "disputed minors" were people who CPS initially believed were children, but FLDS members insisted were adults.
Recently, a 14-year-old girl was returned to foster care after a judge ruled her mother, Barbara Jessop, could not adequately protect her from abuse. Authorities allege the girl was married at age 12 to FLDS leader Warren Jeffs in a ceremony presided over by her father, YFZ Ranch leader Merril Jessop.
"The foster parents I am with are nice & treat me well," the girl wrote in a letter to her mother recently posted on the FLDS Web site truthwillprevail.org. "Nothing is the same as home, but pretty soon I will be with you which is the happiest place to be.
"May our Loving Heavenly Father hear our fervant prayers and comfort us. I know he is doing it and will allow us to be together once again."
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com
Recent comments
Kilbarry: CPS has used the immunity for prosecution loophole...
zxcvbnm | Aug. 30, 2008 at 6:37 a.m.
Maybe the letter is a fake.
Maybe someone has her locked in a closet...
choice2 | Aug. 30, 2008 at 6:32 a.m.
Joel said: "Ok, Crimmins, now get ready for 253 suits in reverse,...
Kilbarry1 | Aug. 30, 2008 at 1:41 a.m.
- Night flying may be OK in firefighting 9:11 p.m.
- Senate opens partisan health debate 9:10 p.m.
- Ute women to host Weber State 9:06 p.m.
- Tiger withdraws from tourney 8:51 p.m.
- Chaffetz: Leave Afghanistan 8:45 p.m.
- Becker, Corroon urge buying local 8:43 p.m.
- Internet shoppers beware 8:42 p.m.
- Software, security issues pop up 8:40 p.m.
- Woods could learn from Letterman 8:39 p.m.
- Pressure on mortgage industry 8:38 p.m.
- Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
- Y. student vanished in China
- Max Hall issues apology
- Utes won't respond to Hall
- Hall reprimanded by MWC
- Cougs begin bowl preparations
- Boy shot following traffic stop
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling
- Matthews passes new Jazz tests
- U. eyes bowl for redemption
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
898 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
481 - Max Hall issues apology
376 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
357 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
306 - Utes won't respond to Hall
247 - BYU is champion of the state
140 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
121 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
119 - Religion in politics is tiresome
107
Live 'Twittologue' Dec. 2, 4:00 p.m. with Jason Chaffetz. Click for more.
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
I am grateful to the police officers who choose to uphold the law for the...
"The Utah organization and its fans at RES treat our opponents with the...
Having made enough dumb mistakes myself I can now let this go. Max had...
If People kept track of what they eat and report it to their Doctors then we...
I'm glad that he said something. Fans need to know what kind of danger they...
It is football folks - rivalry football - go to a ACC, SEC, PAC 10, Big 10,...
The religious people wouldn't be up in arms if religion wasn't already under...
There is only one source of redemption and it is not the Bowl Committee. The...
Ohhhh BOO HOO....you poor picked on Yewt fans! Maybe you should pack it...
Aaahhh the agony we put ourselves through, Hall's comments were thoughtless...

