This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7431848.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
US sect children set to go home | US sect children set to go home |
(30 minutes later) | |
A judge in Texas has signed an order allowing parents to take home more than 400 children who had been removed from a polygamist sect. | A judge in Texas has signed an order allowing parents to take home more than 400 children who had been removed from a polygamist sect. |
Parents were set to begin collecting their children, who were seized from the sect's ranch by state authorities in April. | |
State officials had accused sect members of abusing the children. | State officials had accused sect members of abusing the children. |
But last week the state's Supreme Court said officials had failed to prove the children faced immediate danger. | But last week the state's Supreme Court said officials had failed to prove the children faced immediate danger. |
'Grateful' | 'Grateful' |
Monday's ruling placed conditions on the parents, including prohibiting them from leaving the state without court permission and ordering them to take parenting classes, the Associated Press news agency reported. | Monday's ruling placed conditions on the parents, including prohibiting them from leaving the state without court permission and ordering them to take parenting classes, the Associated Press news agency reported. |
The sect denied any abuse took place at the ranch | |
They were also ordered not to interfere with the investigation into child abuse and to allow the children to undergo medical tests if necessary, AP said. | They were also ordered not to interfere with the investigation into child abuse and to allow the children to undergo medical tests if necessary, AP said. |
Welfare workers must be allowed unannounced visits and any journey within the state of more than 100 miles (160km) must be given prior permission. | |
Willie Jessop, an elder for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, said: "We're really grateful to get the order signed." | Willie Jessop, an elder for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, said: "We're really grateful to get the order signed." |
It was not immediately clear how many of the children would return to the ranch. | |
The sect has always denied any abuse took place and the parents had won two earlier court rulings that the children were not in immediate danger. | |
The children were taken from the sect's Yearning For Zion ranch near the town of Eldorado in raids that began on 3 April. | |
Half of the children taken into foster care were no older than five. | |
Officials had alleged there was systemic sexual and physical abuse, including the "grooming" of girls to accept sex with older men once reaching puberty. | |
The sect teaches that polygamy brings glorification in heaven. | |
It is a splinter sect of the Mormon Church, which officially abandoned polygamy more than a century ago. |