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One of Utah's biggest news stories of the year didn't happen in Utah. It was in Texas. The biggest child custody case in history played out to a national audience. But it resonated loudly in Utah because of its religious context.
It started in April when investigators supposedly got a call from a 16-year-old girl from within the FLDS Church saying she was being abused. They went through homes looking for potentially abused children.
The images were unforgettable. Hundreds of children in custody, separated from their mothers, who fascinated the nation with their long dresses and distinctive hairstyles.
They are members of the Utah-based Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Polygamy and underage marriage, coupled with their claims of a historical link to Mormon teachings, led many people outside of Utah to confuse FLDS with LDS. "I think they all need to go back to Salt Lake," said Nita Brooks, a San Angelo, Texas, resident.
When Texas authorities moved in on the FLDS compound, rounding up the kids was a challenge. Capt. Barry Caver with the Texas Rangers said, "They were shuffled around houses as we were searching the houses."
Then authorities raided the temple. As they did, 57 FLDS Church members surrounded the building. Caver said, "They'd tell us if they did not do that then they would basically be in violation of their beliefs by not defending their temple."
And getting information proved to be even more difficult. Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said, "They are taught from very young that they do not answer questions."
The secretive FLDS culture bent under stress. After years of shunning outsiders, they reached out through the media into the court of public opinion. Shannon, an FLDS mother, said, "They are happy and sweet children. They love it here."
They welcomed news cameras into their fenced compound and put forth wives and mothers for heart-tugging interviews. Monica said, "I do not know why they have my children. No one has told me anything."
The FLDS people may have won the initial battle for public opinion, and they did secure a court victory that sent the children back to their parents, but they're still on the defensive.
At year's end, Texas officials said the raid turned up evidence of a dozen underage marriages involving adult men and girls as young as 12; seven of the girls gave birth to babies.
Marleigh Meisner, with Texas Child Protective Services, said, "This is about children who are at imminent risk of harm, children that we believe have been abused and neglected."
Twelve men have been indicted, guaranteeing the FLDS will remain in the news in 2009. Among those indicted in Texas is FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. He's already been convicted in Utah and is awaiting trial on other charges in Arizona.
Investigators never found the 16-year-old victim who sparked the raid. Rozita Swinton of Colorado Springs is being looked at as a person of interest in connection with that phone call. Anti-polygamy Advocate Flora Jessop says Swinton called her pretending to be the twin sister of the victim. Her trial stemming from an unrelated hoax has been delayed.
The FLDS Church is taking steps to sue the state of Texas.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
E-mail: hollenhorst@ksl.com
