State treatment in question as FLDS lose custody of kids

SAN ANGELO, Texas — A boy shook his head "no" Tuesday morning when the Deseret Morning News asked if the children taken from an FLDS ranch near here were being treated well.

The boy and seven others were walking the perimeter of a grassy field at the historic Fort Concho, a makeshift shelter where children and women are being guarded by police. Social workers summoned the boys back inside after the boys came within earshot of reporters. Police then moved reporters farther from the protected area.

Other children kicked and tossed balls to each other outside the shelter, which officials say is at or near capacity.

Texas welfare officials are looking for more shelters to house more than 401 children taken from the nearby Eldorado FLDS ranch over the past five days.

Then, they'll be looking for foster homes.

A handful of additional children may have been taken from the FLDS ranch Monday night, and one man from the ranch was taken to a nearby hospital with "a minor health issue," said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger. He had no other details.

As of Tuesday morning, two men from the FLDS ranch have been arrested in connection with the raid in Eldorado. Leroy Johnson Steed, 41, remains in the Schleicher County Jail on suspicion of tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony. He was booked Monday night. Levi Barlow Jeffs, 19, was booked into the jail Sunday for investigation of interfering with the duties of a public servant, a class B misdemeanor. He was released on bond Monday.

Before Monday, a judge had determined that 18 children from the compound were taken into "legal, temporary custody" of the state of Texas, meaning they would be placed with foster families while legal proceedings were conducted.

Now, the judge has ordered Texas to place into that category all 401 children — ranging from infants to 17-year-olds. And that count was expected to rise.

"We do believe there probably are other children still at the ranch, and if so, they, too, will be removed," said Marleigh Meisner, spokeswoman for Texas Child Protective Services.

"We have provided information on all of these (children), and the judge has made a determination that there is a significant risk of harm, or these are indeed victims of abuse and neglect, and they should be removed and placed into custody of Texas temporarily," she said.

She called the roundup the state's largest child welfare operation since the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco 15 years ago.