From Deseret News archives:

Girl reunites with mother - but no contact with FLDS leader

Published: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 9:27 a.m. MDT
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SAN ANGELO, Texas — A 16-year-old girl exempted from the massive order that returned hundreds of children taken from the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch will now be going home.

A judge here on Tuesday signed a special order allowing the girl to go home to her mother — but she will have no contact with her father, FLDS leader Warren Jeffs.

"Respondent is ordered to take all measures necessary to prevent the child from having any contact, in any form, with Warren Steed Jeffs," Judge Barbara Walther wrote in the order reuniting the girl with her mother.

"It is ordered that the respondent shall prevent the child from being within 1,000 feet of the location known as 'YFZ Ranch' in Eldorado, Texas."

On the day that Walther signed an order to reunite hundreds of children with their parents, the girl's attorney filed an emergency motion on behalf of her client.

"This child is an identified victim of sexual abuse," Natalie Malonis wrote in court papers.

Malonis sought the stay so she could work out an agreement with an attorney for the girl's mother and Texas child welfare authorities. The order returns the girl to her mother, who is expected to take parenting classes and cooperate with an ongoing Child Protective Services investigation. The family is restricted to living in the San Antonio area.

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A man named Raymond Jessop is also prohibited from having any contact with her. The order does not say what the relationship is between him and the girl.

"Respondent is ordered to notify law enforcement immediately if Respondent discovers that the person Raymond Jessop comes within 1,000 feet of the child's person or the child's residence, school or day-care facility," Walther wrote.

Hundreds of children have been reunited with their parents after Austin's 3rd Court of Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Texas acted improperly in removing them from the YFZ Ranch. Authorities were responding to a call from someone claiming to be a 16-year-old girl, who said she was pregnant and in an abusive marriage to an older man. The call is being investigated as a possible hoax.

When CPS and law enforcement arrived on the ranch, they said they found other evidence of abuse that prompted a judge to order all of the children removed from the FLDS property.


E-MAIL: bwinslow@desnews.com

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