"It's very, very difficult in these interviews to determine who we have in custody," Meisner said. "Their names change. Many of them have the same name. Information is sketchy. Some (of those removed from the compound) are cooperating with our interviews, but as you can imagine, the situation is intense."

A second search warrant was signed Sunday ordering officers to search the ranch, including "vaults, safes, lockboxes, locked drawers, medical facilities" and other areas.

One unidentified man was arrested at the ranch and charged with interfering with the duties of a public servant, a class B misdemeanor. "He was interfering with a police order," Mange said.

An affidavit will be filed in court for each of the 401 children, and each child will be assigned a guardian ad litem attorney. A judge will decide each child's case separately.

Meisner said Texas has a "critical shortage" of foster homes and the situation is even more difficult now with so many children in its custody. She said workers try to keep sibling groups together when possible. "Certainly, this is a different circumstance," she said, since most of the children from the polygamist compound have many siblings.

The state will have 14 days for a judge to determine if the children will be permanently removed from their homes and parents.

"Once we get these kids to court, we will continue to monitor and make recommendations," Meisner said.

The first "full adversarial hearing" about custody of the children is scheduled for April 17.

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E-mail: bwest@desnews.com