And what is to be done for those parents who do not subscribe to that local newspaper? Are they to have their children taken away simply because they were not informed of a pending court case?

Are these human beings worth no more than cattle who can be driven as a herd by someone carrying a stick or a gun?

It's time that every American gets out of his easy-chair and demand that the Government abide by the Constitution - popular opinion be damned.

translation: we stole all your kids, because we have been apprehensive about having you as neighbors, but its really expensive housing all the kids we stole, so give us all your money.

These fundy mormons should have all gone to mexico and parts south so they could grease a few palms and avoid the rule of law. Big miscalculation just moving to texas.

Instead of "Remember The Alamo" it might be more like "Remember The Guantanamo Of Texas". How does one take all those women who went their children, "voluntarily", tell them you are going to help them, then publish a notice that you are attempting to sever their parental rights? How about some military tribunals to make it all look good?

Lay on the artillery and look for the family pieces later.

I'm not certain how declaring a default end of parents rights could be more personal. It would seem that if this is legitimate, then a counter-suits could also be served by simply publishing a notice to all would-be Foster Parents and involved officials that they are being sued by he FLDS and individual groups(makes it more expensive to defend)- the details coming later, after each infraction is discovered.

How are these parents supposed to know when the hearing for their child is being held if the names of the children are not even listed? And when the parents show up, will they be questioned on whether or not they really are the parents as has been the case with some of the women?

These children have admitted to sexual, mental and physical abuse from the ANIMALS who are the older people in the compound. If it weren't for the Texas law enforcement officials, they would still be in their so called "TEMPLE" being abused by old dirty men who act on their desires under the guise of RELIGION. Come on, give Law Enforcement a break. They are upholding the LAW. It is ILLEGAL to have more than one wife, and is illegal to have sex with a minor. Get a life, people.

Thank you Texas for doing what Arizona and Utah won't.

I'm certain the sheriff made sure the accused parents and their high priced criminal defense lawyers all received copies.

I don’t believe that every single one of those children were abused or neglected, but if these mothers and fathers don’t step up to the plate, cooperate and identify themselves and their children, then the State is going to consider that the children have been abandoned and take permanent custody. The FLDS are foolish if they don’t cooperate with the investigation. Those among them who have not committed or contributed to these terrible acts will be able to get their children back. It is never worth sacrificing your own family just to protect those who are guilty.

It seems to me that all posters so far have forgotten that crimes have taken place. Warren Jeffs is already in prison for his crimes. If Jeffs as their leader allowed for child abuse and child rape and incest, it is not outrageous to believe that his followers will commit the same crime even if they profess religious freedom as the excuse.

Quit your delusions that this is about polygamy. It is not. This is about crimes against children including, rape, abuse and in the case of boys (polyg males don't like competition) abandonment.

To repeat myself. This is not about polygamy but about child abuse and rape. These same mothers allowed their daughters to be raped....RAPED.

I'm still confused. Who is in charge of this ordeal. The State of Texas, FBI, or really good baptist.

Don't get me wrong the FLDS should be stoped from marrying off little girls. But the way Texas is going about this is wrong.

Seems to me like you have listened to the media spin, and ex-FLDS who have an agenda, how many of these people do you personally know? How many have personally told you they were abused? How many of those stories are corroborated? You go on and on and on about what you think happened in there, yet, not one bit of it has been proved, not one bit of it has been justified!! You take such an holier than thou approach you make me sick. If you judge, then I want to know who gave you that right? The phone call is going to be proved a hoax, and then tell me, what are you going to do?

How I wish that the Deseret Morning News would not get involved in any way covering any aspect of this bizarre story. It contributes to the confusion. It is hard enough for the general public to realize this story is not about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, without the Deseret News adding to the confusion.... Leave the story alone, please!!!!!!

Well, that is the end of the calls to DNews reporters from the FLDS moms. The Trib reports that the women were told to turn in their cell phones under court order to avoid witness tampering, and if they refused the FLDS women could leave Fort Concho.

Seems to me that Texas intends to challenge these mothers on their own true age and paternity to the children they claim.

If some of these women are now so concerned about the children's care, they should have being outrage about girls going up into the white tower at 13-14. They're in this with the adult men. Probably telling the girls 'be sweet'...shame

Its all to interesting how so many in utah want to throw out the baby with the bath water! The abuse is rampant! I was the FKS Child Abuse rep for utah & arizona 1996-2001 and had clients who were apostate FLDS. I lived then in Hurricane Utah 26 miles away. I have spent nights with friends up there and I have most of their doctrine in Text and on Audio.

Then in blogs mostly in Utah, the apologist and constitutionalist are crying foul, thowing very little about what goes on inside!

"And what is to be done for those parents who do not subscribe to that local newspaper? Are they to have their children taken away simply because they were not informed of a pending court case?"

Hi there, Mike Richards, you don't seriously think the parents aren't going to get the word on this, do you?

These people thought they'd be cute, committing crimes against children with impunity by playing dumb. Guess again, child abusers.

I agree with II, no evidence has been released to the public, just spins and expectations. Jane, where is the evidence for those claims that the FLDS are just animals(the treatment they are getting)?

We all think something wrong may have happened, but have seen no documents to verify it. Few would try to destroy or label an entire culture on the basis of unproven or minority allegations. We all live in some CULT(ure). Lets give it time and the truth will come to the surface.

The phone calls that supposedly started it all appear to be fabricated, either by design, or, hoax. It appears the man involved hasn't been in Texas since 1977. Not a good indication for the thoroughness or honesty of the investigation.

Warren Jeffs was CONVICTED in the event that you do not pay attention. Did he have crimes of which he was proven guilty? YES. Did Jeffs command that underage girls marry relatives (fumerase deficiency is the end result)? Yes. Oh geez, I must be nuts to believe that such would happen again and again when the leader leads in such criminal actions. The parents that allow it are just as guilty.

And yes, I have corresponded with former polygamist women. While you can ignore the abuse they experienced, I cannot nor will not.

I hold no holier than thou approach, but base this new situation on track record of the group. God gives all the right to judge in righteousness. Try reading your bible. I don't see any commandments stating that children should be forced to marry while children giving birth to children either.

Again, it's about abuse. Perhaps you believe your prophet enough to sacrifice your children to him, but I refuse to check my brain at the door. Again, it is in the track record of the group.

The proof is in the pudding, if these mothers care enough about their children, and most of them are with the children and about three are at the ranch, these mothers will take ownership. If they really want to claim their child, they need to have the courage, especially if they are under 16, to stand up and say, this is my child. The 16 year old mother is not at fault, if they find out that her child was fathered by someone older than 18, then the law is broken. If these young mothers will not step forward to claim and to prove they are the mothers, then they can consider these children abandoned in my opinion and put them in foster care and up for adoption. The only people at this point who need to sweat are the adult fathers and parents that placed their young daughters into these marriages. If they find nothing happened, then there is egg on the face, but based on the past in this group and others in Utah, I would be very surprised if they didn't find sexual abuse.

Apparently the FLDS stay in touch with one another quite well. If they do not subscribe to the newspaper posting the legal notices, perhaps they have read about it here as you did.

If not, then by now the concerned parents should have been in contact with authorities to tell them, yes, my child was taken. This is his or her name, and this is who I am and who the child's other parent is. You may contact us at this number.

A major problem with this situation is the apparent reluctance to speak out, be responsible, have your name taken, and work with authorities to have the situation rectified and children returned to their families.

How can a child be returned if the parents are hiding or refusing to give first and last names and documentation proving familial bonds? If it were my child, I'd be assembling every document and photograph, and giving everyone in the legal and child welfare system my name so they knew darned well where to contact me. That doesn't seem to be happening here.

Other than phone calls from an unidentified person, what is the evidence of mass abuse.

If the issue is polygamy, just say so, and prove that, too. Probable cause, arrest, trial, then sentence. Wrong order in El Dora..doh!

Outrageous stories directed at polygamists... Not much hard evidence to go on... everyone involved has an axe to grind on one side of this issue or another... Is this Texas circa 2008 or Utah circa 1885?

I don't like polygamy and despise child abuse. But I honestly can't see through this haze at this point.

Heaven help us all!

It is heartening that Texas authorities are focusing on the child abuse aspects of the case at this point; protecting these young victims must be the overriding concern.

However it will be a mistake to ignore the polygamy aspects. It is living polygamy outside the law that renders groups like FLDS clannish and closed to outsiders. That circumstance leaves the children isolated and at the mercy of the adults. The difficulty of recruiting new women into the group means the predator males will inevitably turn to the female children of the group. Any polygamous cult living outside the law is inevitably going to be an abusive environment for the children, the only question is the degree of abuse.

It is time to quit tiptoeing around the fact that POLYGAMY IS ILLEGAL. No one should apologize for enforcing the laws. No one should shirk from enforcing the laws (are you listening, Utah?)

Groups that insist on living polygamy should find a country that's laws accommodate their beliefs or work to change the laws where they live.

Otherwise the tragedies of Utah and Texas will be repeated.

Legal notices like this are place in the paper in addition to serving people in person. I seriously doubt that the women in the shelters and the people in the ranch haven't been served. It's not in the best interest in the state to not make a reasonable effort to serve them.
No one really knows what happened except the people who lived in the yfz ranch. I'd wait before hypothesizing. Everybody has an agenda. many ex-flds have such radical agendas as - not wanting to be raped, not wanting their kids to be beaten, not wanting to commit fraud and volience in the name of their "prophet", not wanting to have their wive(s) and child(ren) "reassigned" to other men. Moreover, regardless of whether or not they find the "girl", as long as the state can show that they had probable cause- all the evidence they are going to find is going to be admissible. 12 year old girls are people two. they have civil rights.

and there's so much rumor. Until the facts come out, wait.

If these old men want to have more than one wife, then so be it, but make sure they are of legal age. Not one that is brain washed from birth. Think of the feelings you would have to know your little daughter was being mulled by some old man? If any of you can't think this happens, take a road trip to Southern, Utah. Go into the Walmarts, grocery stores. Look at these woman and hoards of children buying baskets of food on food stamps. Come and take a look at these little girls with new babies. Do any of them have insurance? Who is paying for these old men to 25 children in one family? Why was Tom Green put in jail? He admitted to having teen brides. Why is Warren Jeffs in jail? Because he ran a stop sign? These woman and children need a voice, not brain washing. Thank You TEXAS!

I suspect the mothers are lying about who is their child, in order to protect the man.

They lie if they were legally too young to have a baby, without it being rape.

Lying for the Lord. Its been done before.

After working in CPS for overall 14 years, a agency needs a disclosure or evidence before going to court. Texas is no exception

RuleOfLaw is absolutely right. This particular polygamous cult has been inbreeding for so long that the IQ of their leaders must be somewhere in the low-mid 50s. They leave Hildale/Colorado City where they were getting some heat after being tolerated for the 50 years since the Short Creek raid. But they move to Texas? They execute people for double-parking in Texas! What were they thinking you ask? Well, years of inbreeding have rendered them incapable of intelligent thought. These poor idiots are now facing extinction due to natural selection brought on by their bizarre lifestyle. What a waste of human lives. God have mercy on them.

Lawyer up!
Every child will have one. The FLDS better step up and cooperate. Some of you may not like it, but there are numerous charges of rape and abuse.
It's not just one phone call.

And to the poster who thinks it's all a hoax, UH, what have you been smoking? Statutory rape is the charge for sex with a minor. Don't care what your religion is, ain't about that.

Some of the children are pregnant. There is no legal way they should be pregnant so rape has been committed. "Seems to Me II" should get real - Texas is doing the right thing.

Does this remind anyone else of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"? A young unknown girl makes some allegations and , wow! what a witch hunt has ensued. I really think this is about religious bigotry when there are comments like "we have an entire community to de-program"

and the parents for the money in keeping these kids, it would just be getting back all the welfare they have been collecting anyways with all "the unwed mothers for government aid" but spiritually married. I dont care about the plural marriages but the child abuse and taking welfare while acting like they are above the law they deserve what they get.

By being subject to underage "spiritual marriage" all these children have been abused. Imagine being a 12 or 13 year-old girl knowing that you will shortly be married to some repugnant, 50 year-old male. Shame on the so-called "adults" of this sect.

It's time to expose the injustices committed against the women and children of this community. The weak and cowardly male members (improper to call them men) of the FLDS that hide behind the skirts of religion need to be rounded-up and prosecuted for their pedophilia.

Like I've said before, I hope Texas knows what it's doing. If not then in a year or so from now we''ll be saying "thank you Utah and Arizona for not doing what Texas did and costing us millions of dollars in law suits." Weed out and prosecute the abusers. As far as the polygamy part, were their marraiges sanctioned by the state of Texas or were they 'spiritual marraiges'? Can you prosecute them for polygamy if they were not sactioned by the state? I see this thing going to the Supreme Court.

if this a viable religion...where is it chartered or recognized? I want to contact their missionaries to hear their stance on how holy they are..their temple , garments etc. And where are the minority members? So that I can really feel for them , you know, you see , you know!

I think the best moms for those kids are their moms. The best homes for them are their homes. If you're worried about abuse, don't go in and take the kids. Go in and educate the moms on what abuse is and how to be better mothers. Why take the children from a whole community over one report of abuse?
Texas, you've failed them.

These women are taught to avoid all forms of media. Do the social service people really expect that they will see the newspaper notices?

Yes, I know it's been stated, that "word gets around" in the FLDS community, but, for all their talk of trying to be considerate of the faith/culture of the women involved, this seems rather an oversight.

For the record, I am not for or against polygamy. I am, however, against abuse, of people by their spiritual leaders, AND by their government.

The media is an interesting entity. Generally liberal, they vehemently support homosexuals and scream bloody murder if one of these folks are discriminated against. How is polygamy any different when it comes to an alternative life style? I DO NOT condone children giving birth to children, and if these men are having sex with 14 year olds in their "temple," I think they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But if we are just talking about polygamy among consenting adults, let's leave them alone - otherwise it's a double standard.

Yes, I am from Utah. (This is a UT paper.) I have been watching this unfold and believe that this could have been handled better, differently. But hindsight is 20/20, and I'm glad they decided to error on the side of caution and help the 16 year (mom).

For those folks that want to take pot shots at UT and AZ, you should read up on what they have accomplished over the past few years to try and combat this deplorable group of incestuous men.

Contrats to the three states for sending a consistent message to the FLDS brethren that rape/incest is illegal in UT, AZ, TX, and the rest of the US.

If these women are subjecting their children to sexual abuse (and the under-aged pregnant girls would indicate proof they are), then they are just as guilty as the men. May God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit be with these girls, and may they know Him and become saved by His grace.

here ...are you guys still trying to defend this group while the whole world watches your sick rendition of LA Law.

Canadian, you speak as if that ranch is a free place where moms, children can come and go as they wish. If they find evidence of abuse then case workers can and should move to protect the children. Then, let a court review and decide.

The FLDS bunch better be sure to have verifiable records. Not some stuff they created themselves.. They'll be challenged hard in court.

I smell both State and Federal charges coming.

The 'lone star' state has struck a mighty blow against the FLDS.

That compound should be declared off-limits to children!!!!

You have made the most sense so far!!!

Education is better than evacuation. No law suits because the state might require that all children learn of their rights by the time they are 8.

If not abuse of young girls or even abuse of grown women, why then is there a bed in their temple? I know of no other religion who have a bed in their temple.

If children are being abused lock up all of the men. Let the mothers stay with their children until this is all sorted out. Why terrorize and punish the innocent children? Family Protective Services is a business and they protect their jobs just like any other business. Children are pawns in the system. More kids mean more employees, more employees means more supervisors and more money, and the beat goes on.
Where are all of the pregnant teens we have been told about? We have pregnant teens all over the U.S.where are the prosecutions of the abusers? There are more questions than answers in this entire mess!!!

I guess they now know that it would have been better to stay clear of the beast rather than try to bleed it. The beast will now turn and bite them in the behind.

I used to do computer forensic work and because of the sloppy and over zealous work that completely ignores our rules of law, there will be no convictions that will stick from this. No initial complaint victim, and a second source that is what looks like the typical unreliable confidential informant; leading to what amounts to a falsified request for the initial warrant, and then the fishing operation. They won't be able to use any evidence they find and the perps everyone hates will get off, saved by double jeopardy, and the dual state/federal jurisdictional ploy with the federal warrant will not work either, just watch.

OH and to all the self righteous souls out there: We do not have statutory rape in Texas, it is sexual assault with a minor; aggregated if they are under 14.

I THINK THE PEOPLE WRITING HERE WHO ARE DEFENDING THE SICKOS ARE THOSE THAT ARE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND COULD DEFEND THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

YES, TEXAS, DID WHAT ARIZ AND UTAH WOULD NOT DO AS ONE OF THE ABOVE WRITERS STATED, SHE/HE IS RIGHT ON. BLESS THESE PEOPLE THAT THEY FIND PEACE AT LAST.

Abusers should be prosecuted, absolutely. However, to accuse the whole church based on one (or more) allegation seems heavy handed. We know the Catholic church has problems with abuse. Does this mean we should round up the children of all Catholics? Or in the case of public school teachers who abuse their students, do we shut down the entire school? No. We prosecute the offending teacher. Perhaps we should focus on catching the abusers, and let the children go home.