Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Carole Mikita and AP reportingThe news that Texas authorities have evidence of physical abuse, broken bones, of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) children comes as no surprise to one former member of that community.
Brent Jeffs says he knows because his uncle is the one who abused him. "I left the religion when I was 15. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life," he said.
Not only did he leave, but he sued his Uncle Warren Jeffs for sexual abuse. He says Warren preyed on him and his two brothers, Brandon and Clayne. Clayne later committed suicide.
Brent says he knows of children whose bones were intentionally broken by their fathers as a form of discipline. "I know it exists. It's sad to see and hear all these stories of these kids getting their arms broken. I can't imagine what they're doing to these kids," he said. "These little boys, just like me, it's happening to them right within their own families. They're getting ruined. I mean, it's ruining these kids."
Brent also said, "When warren took over it was every week, every day. All these young 13-, 14-year-old girls getting married to these older men in church who have the power, you know, were close to Warren. It's kind of like their reward or something for obeying Warren."
Investigators recently invited Brent to Texas to learn of life inside the FLDS community. He blames the men for not coming forward to give DNA. He believes many of them have already left Eldorado.
"They're all over. They're in South Dakota, down in Mexico, up in Canada. I'm sure they're everywhere," Brent said. "They need to face the music like every other citizen in the United States. If you do something illegal, you need to be tried in court and pay for what you've done."
Brent hopes that some children will be reunited with mothers who want to leave the FLDS community. "Any of you moms that want to leave with your kids, I am open arms to help any of you guys to find a new home, to start a new life," he said. "The United States is wonderful and they can have an awesome family out here."
It's possible, he says, because he has done it.
Meanwhile, a Texas judge has ordered that a newborn boy whose mother was taken from a polygamist sect's ranch be placed in state custody.
Texas District Judge Barbara Walther signed an order that gives the state custody of the one-day-old infant.
The baby's mother has claimed to be 18, but Texas officials believe she is younger and placed her in foster care with children taken from the ranch.
The newborn is the teen's second child. She also has a 20-month old boy.
Child welfare officials now have 464 children in their custody, swept from the Yearning For Zion Ranch. Authorities believe underage girls were forced into marriages and sex with older men. Church members have vehemently denied there was any abuse.
E-mail: cmikita@ksl.com
(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
