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April 18th, 2008
10:42 PM ET

Attorney for FLDS child: We needed information

Susan Hays
Attorney for two-year-old FLDS child

We needed access to the information about these kids. I collect info in any way and every which way I can.

So... I found the lawyers representing the sibling of my client. We agreed they could watch the hearing and I wouldn't worry about missing it. And I left to find out as many facts as I could about the case and about how this very unique mass custody hearing would play out.

The process of such mass procedings, with 400 lawyers trying to represent their clients, and having the access to the information we need to do our job, just needed to be worked out.

And we did it, at least for now.


Filed under: FLDS court hearing • Polygamy
soundoff (58 Responses)
  1. KarenD

    Luna wrote, " I wish people would stop calling this a polygamy case and start calling it a child abuse case."

    BINGO!

    April 20, 2008 at 7:37 pm |
  2. Mike in NYC

    Sherry wrote:

    "And didn’t they say at one time the 16 yr old Sarah had been treated at a hospital for broken ribs when this story first broke. Where are those records??"

    It's becoming abundantly clear that "Sarah" was a fiction, as previous posters have already pointed out.

    April 20, 2008 at 3:17 pm |
  3. Barry IL

    After listening to and watching programs related to FLDS recent debacle, it may not be exaggerating to expect our government to rescue the FLDS ladies themselves, not just their children. The ladies are totally brainwashed and made totally submissive to male-chauvinism. Both Anderson and Larry tried their best to make the ladies talk about the fathers of the children ("husbands"). They all refused to even give a hint, let alone talk about the men.

    I think they are handing a case to the government. It's claimed that the abusers are the men. The ladies do even not dare to publicly express and talk about the men. It's even far-fetched to expect these ladies to save their children from the abuse of the men. The ladies may not only be brainwashed but may also suffer from continuous abuses, "batttered-wives syndrome". "Give us back our children" repeated argument alone does not carry the day. Religious freedom is one thing inflicting abuses is another, be it children or women.

    April 20, 2008 at 2:01 pm |
  4. Mr. Calabash

    This event is surely traumatic for the women and children whose lives have been disrupted. However, the state's responsibility is first to the physical safety of the children. They must be kept as happy as possible but in a location where they can come to no physical harm or sexual abuse. This has been done. Next, the state must determine what kind of lives these children have been living.

    We are suspicious of religious groups that shut themselves away and rule themselves by religious doctrine. Careful scrutiny of such groups often shows that an authoritarian man or group of men rule such groups – especially their women and children – with an iron hand and for the benefit of the leadership only. They may carry a Bible and quote doctrine, but doctrine always seems to boil down to obedience at work, at home, and in bed.

    I have always been puzzled by the fact that religious leadership seems to be morally and spiritually inferior to their followers.

    April 20, 2008 at 9:34 am |
  5. Tammy

    Anderson,
    I've been following the story regarding the polygamist group and just saw the mothers on Larry King Live! this morning. As much as I understand the big picture and the breaking of laws and protection of the children, I feel for the mothers and children in this case. I, too, am a parent of a child with special needs and could not imagine the torture it would be for my son to be seperated from me – his life-line. It is unfortunate those involved could not find a way to keep regular contact between the mothers and these children. The main law breakers here in relation to the children are the men in this group and it seems to the public that they are off scott free. The women and children are being victimized all over again.

    April 20, 2008 at 6:23 am |
  6. sally

    i think the woman need help and learn to get out of there and get there children back after they get a home for them need help to show them what to do they lived this way for years please help them get it right,

    April 20, 2008 at 2:37 am |
  7. luna

    God, I have just read that the church is now claiming that the beds are for the children to nap during church sermons. I think not. Church is not some plaything for these people. The children are made to sit through long scary sermons and sit upright and try to take it all in. There wouldn't be any napping, methinks.

    And yes, it is very simple, if there are ANY underage pregnant girls then someone is guilty of pedophilia and child rape. I wish people would stop calling this a polygamy case and start calling it a child abuse case.

    God Bless Texas for TRYING to help these people. The entire community (including the men) need to be re-educated. I see nothing but victims here.

    April 19, 2008 at 6:44 pm |
  8. Taylor

    Hey don't call this religious persecution to them it is religious persecution to the young boys and girls. Give me a break losing what Amos a lifetime of misery and abuse? More power to Texas authority and women judges.
    Power on

    April 19, 2008 at 6:07 pm |
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