The Great Texas FLDS Raid ‑ Is She Real?
Soon after the raid on the ranch owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), Lynn McFadden, an investigator for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), signed an affidavit to support the original petition used to remove all the children from the FLDS community in Schleicher County. The affidavit was dated 6 April, 2008.
McFadden repeats a scenario where a local Eldorado, Texas family violence center reported a telephone conversation with an individual claiming to be a sixteen‑year‑old spiritual wife. The caller then told how she was beaten and had one child. Her information also indicated that she was fifteen‑years‑old when she was spiritually married. She reported her child was eight months old and a normal pregnancy is nine months.
The first telephone call series stated that she was wife number seven. She again called the center on 30 March, 2008 stating that her husband had three wives and was forty‑nine‑years old. Texas authorities that the man was Arizona resident Dale Barlow. Arizona probation authorities stated that he has been in Arizona.
Barlow has denied any knowledge of the caller and his probation agent found the denial plausible. Texas did not make any effort to contact Barlow or Arizona authorities before confiscating the FLDS children. They did issue an arrest warrant for Barlow, and also did not attempt to serve the warrant to Arizona.
Early in the affidavit, McFadden states the location of the child as confidential rather than the truth, which was the location was unknown.
The affidavit assumes that the caller was giving factual and honest statements and that the violence shelter was not filtering or enhancing the statements. The statements were secondhand when Texas Child Protection Services became involved.
The caller stated that at one time, she was taken to a hospital showing signs of beating and with several broken ribs. The doctor at the hospital only wrapped her with an ACE bandage and apparently showed no concern for the injuries.
In the call made on 30 March, 2008, the caller stated that her parents lived out of state but intended to send their fifteen‑year‑old daughter to the FLDS ranch in Eldorado. The parents were not identified.
McFadden then went on to claim that Texas authorities observed minor teenaged girls who appeared pregnant but did not document how that claim was determined. An additional claim was that teenaged girls were present who had already given birth. That is a stretch without a medical examination. And, caring for children is a community event in many societies. I think McFadden has been watching too many crime stories like the CSI series.
The affidavit went on the claim sexual submissiveness by girls and polygamous practices by males were taught. This does have some demographic problems.* And, the intent was apparently to show this was a sex crazed society rather than one that practiced, “Be fruitful and multiply.” The best way to propagate a religion is with lots of progeny.
McFaddin claimed that all the children at the ranch were at risk; therefore, the State was justified in placing them, first with Baptists, then in seclusion. That would be akin to grabbing all the children of a congregation that practiced faith healing after one died.
In the mean time, the alleged perpetrator has not been approached by Texas authorities. Two men at the ranch have been charged with misdemeanors.
Another call from an alleged sixteen‑year‑old has been reported in Arizona. The original caller was not identified by name, but Texas is now referring to her as Sarah. Investigators are claiming they cannot identify who is who among the children and now will require DNA samples to proceed. Things get pretty murky.
And, a later affidavit from Texas Ranger Leslie Brooks Long is very bizarre with some extremely long stretches to undermine the community at the ranch. Brooks believes than a long hair found in a bed in the FLDS Temple proves that this was a sex bed for raping young girls.
There is a history of statutory rape with some members of the FLDS and if child abuse occurs, that needs to be addressed. For the State of Texas to charge into a community with an armored vehicle appears to be a rush to judgement ,however. I understand that child protection is sometimes paramount, but others have been unfairly charged and prosecuted for nonexistent offenses. The other side is that protective services seems to overlook or ignore cases where children are truly at risk. A bit of balance is in order.
If this thing turns out to be a hoax, you can bet that these Texas law enforcement and protection agencies will fabricate as much as possible to make themselves look competent.
* In a healthy community, more boys will be born than girls and enough boys will survive to give a numerical superiority at marriage ages. The practice of polygamy in this case is unhealthy for the community since too many unattached males tends to destabilize. The community will still be able to produce enough progeny for the expansion of the religion without plural marriage.
by Brian McCorkle
in category FLDS,Rants
