Recently news came out that 31 out of the 53 teenage girls that were removed from the Yearning for Zion Ranch, were pregnant or had already had children. One of those children had a healthy baby boy today.
After two days of chaotic child custody hearings, (day one shown here, day two shown here) Judge Barbara Walther, gave temporary custody of all 463 children to the state of Texas, pending further investigation and DNA testing.
Today one of those 53 young girls gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, with sect members, CPS workers and law enforcement officials stood watch outside the maternity ward.
Child Protective Services spokesman, Patrick Crimmins, says, "The boy is healthy and the mother is doing well."
This brings the total of children up from 463 to 464 that are not in state custody. It was originally assumed that there were only 416 children but later officials determined that some of the young girls claiming to be 18, were not and were actually underage.
Rod Parker, a spokesman for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, contends that the girl is 18, but Crimmins says, "The mother is younger than 18."
Under Texas law, children under the age of 17 generally cannot consent to sex with an adult. A girl can get married with parental permission at 16, but none of these girls is believed to have a legal marriage under state law.
The first set of hearings to determine whether the children from the FLDS compound stay in state custody or if some, any or all are allowed to return to the YFZ ranch, are set for May 19, 2008.
Of the 463 children, 250 are girls and 213 are boys. Children 13 and younger are split, 197 girls and 196 boys, but there are only 17 boys aged 14 to 17 compared with the 53 girls in that age range.
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31 out of 53 teenage FLDS girls pregnant or already had babies
FLDS Children Moved, Samples Sent, Senate Leader Speaks and FLDS Men On The Run?
Accommodations and Education For The FLDS Children- Women and Children Being Moved
More FLDS Children In Texas State Care Than Thought, Some Canadian Children
As DNA Testing Begins For FLDS Members, Questions of Lineage, Disease, and Law Arise
Polygamist Group, FLDS Children To Be Placed In Foster Homes This Week
Judge Orders Polygamist, FLDS Children To Stay in Texas State Custody
Update On The FLDS Custody Hearing Regarding the Children of the YFZ Ranch- Day Two Begins--All Day Updates
Custody Hearing for the Children of the Polygamist FLDS Sect Starts
The Forgotten Children of the FLDS Polygamist Group, The Lost Boys
The Children From the Polygamist YFZ Ranch
Update on Polygamist Compound Raid-Documents Unsealed And Beds In The Temple
Documents Detail Abuse at YFZ Ranch
Now 400 Children In Custody from Polygamist Compound- Updated, Second Person Arrested
Standoff at Polygamist Compound-Updated
Children Removed from Warren Jeff's Polygamist Retreat in Texas
Polygamist Sect Leader Warren Jeffs Found Guilty In Utah
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