Wednesday April 16, 2008, 7:07 am
The order is usually given by the spiritual leader of the compound, and the parents of the boys are too fearful of excommunication to object.

Lots of excuses given; but just do the math... if males are supposed to have at least 3 wives to ge to heaven...what to do? Same thing other animals do...kick out the young bucks..
This story from last Sept. explains more about how it is for the boys...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/09polygamy.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=boys+cast+out+by+polygamists+find+help&st=nyt&oref=slogin
Boys Cast Out by Polygamists Find Help

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 6:42 pm

Both sexes have been psychologically damaged. (Shaking head, rolling eyes, and forming tears at the future repercussions from this misguided child-rearing.)

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 8:27 pm
Noted, and concur (above comments), with this question. where DO the young men go? this case, here in Texas, has everyone riveted to the mothers and young children's stories, but......this post puts a different eye on the young men's dilema. and why not have the PARENTS own up to the case in point of 'child neglect' for the sons they lose when expelled? this also needs to be questioned, and care taken for these children. thankx for this post, nancy...

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 10:39 pm

The parents here make me ill. To send their sons away to save themselves is unbelievable!

As to the case. It reeks of sexism all around, from the Polygamists to the
arresting Officers.

Thanks for both articles Nancy.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 1:09 am
Yeah, what about the boys? Boys are just as traumatized by neglect and abuse as girls are. Every child needs loving adults in their life. Preferably loving parents. It is appalling to me that people are are supposed to be grown up adults behave like children. When one becomes a parent they accept the responsibility to care for the children they bring into the world whether that child is a boy or a girl.

It is deplorable that any child would be forced to fend for themselves or put up with abuse of any kind. I speak from personal experience but won't elaborate. Took me years to overcome a childhood of agony. In my case, I became a better person for it because I chose to get help and become the person I was born to be rather than the person I was raised and conditioned to be.

Wheh I hear about stories like this, it literally makes my heart hurt and makes me sick to my stomach.

I ask this: what kind of spiritual leader abuses children? A person who abuses any child as described in this article is no spiritual leader in my opinion. It is a child pretending to be an adult or worse, a psychopath or sociopath devoid of a conscience who behaves this way.

Of course the White House, (which I prefer to call the Black House!), is filled with such people. Maybe others believe since those in the Black House have seemingly been getting away with whatever they want,wheneve they want, America has become a free for all in which no rules, no laws and no conscience applies?

I wouldn't be surprised to find out there is a sign at the Black House hidden from the publc which states "A conscience not welcome here, leave your conscience at the door". Wouldn't be surprised if such a signs hidden from public view exist somewhere outside the homes and houses of worship at these Polygamy hell holes too!

Thursday April 17, 2008, 2:54 am
TY C, Nancy and all. Great words Eleda!

Thursday April 17, 2008, 4:44 am
YES I MENTIONED THIS THE LOST BOYS ,FOR ONE AND YES IT HURTS BOTH SEXES,TY CAROLE

Thursday April 17, 2008, 5:00 am
Society is finally opening up to the psycholgical (and in many cases, physical) damage done to girls, while boys still suffer silently, afraid of being ridiculed, told to "be a man", "don't whine" etc. Children, both girls and boys, need and deserve protection from predators. When parents or guardians fail in their responsibility, such as in this case, all the children suffer and all of them need help in learning to understand and cope with the devastating effects of being treated so badly.

Thank you Nancy for this much needed article and to you *C* for the forward.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 6:51 am
poor children and future adults

Thursday April 17, 2008, 8:46 am
I feel bad for the "Lost Boys" and hope they can be helped just as the girls are. I saw an article on this a couple years ago on Current Affair and it broke my heart. Those boys are scarred really bad because of the decision to make them leave and turn to drugs and crime in alot of cases.
So sad.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 8:58 am
To me, these are cults, and that's why no love for these boys are shown here. They do not believe in giving these boys the same rights and love as the girls. My heart is broken for them..I will say many blessings for them all as they will need as many prayers & light from the higher power as they can get..I send their angels to surround them all and protect them from any more harm..and so it is..
Thank you *C* for forward, thanks Nancy my friend also for this article. Sadly noted

Thursday April 17, 2008, 10:31 am
Noted. Some excellent statements and insights already expressed in this forum. This is most true that we not only harm girls but boys as well in this society but there has been little media attention...or much from elsewhere..from whiat I have been able to find. That makes this post especially valuable, Nancy! Thanks to you and kudos, as well as to 'C' who brought the article to my attention.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 12:11 pm
Yes! The Boys sure do count too! All children matter. That cult expelled boys because the old men polygamist's wanted ALL the women & girls ALL to themselves! GREEDY! The poor boys were not to blame. This is exactly why thee should be one mother & one father to household, so children can have decent chance. Nevertheless I hope they do not also take the children away from their mothers. They need to work with this victims for awhile to get healing started for all. T.Y. Nancy

Thursday April 17, 2008, 12:28 pm
Noted

But I have to speak my heart and mind here.
I totally agree with Carole here.
These women, and children of both sexes have been psychologically damaged.
This is a fine example of religion used as power over others to gain control for
themselves. Women lured by using god to do it.
The men strip away the womens self confidence, dignity and self worth and
literally mold the women belief system to their own control. And for what?
To feed their need to lord it over somebody else.
These men who have manipulated these women for no other reason to use,
abuse and control for their own selfish motivation.
Not one single male member of this group is present, and how convient
that they cannot be found to be held accountable for the damage they have
done to innocent women and children.
The women were lured into the religious cult all for the love of a faith in god.
Don't get me wrong, I believe in the freedom of religion, and the separation of
church and state. What makes me angry is that a group of men used religion to gain
the trust of women to build their little empire and caused unforgiveable harm to not
only the women that were brought into this cult, but the children who were born into this
nightmare from hell. The men waited until the male children became teenagers, and tossed
them out to fend for themselves. Abandoned these young, pre-teenage boys are trying to
find a place in the world, but this world is not a friendly place to be.
Not only are these young boys not acceptable by American society, but they
are not prepared for the world either. Then these older men of the cult have a whole
new group of young females to use. Not only as followers, but as their personal slaves
in their little cult community, and sex slaves as well. This is a sick group of men.

Also, understand that this group, cult, religious organization also uses the Welfare
System to support their families. These men rarely work, rarely pay their own bills by hard labor, but place their families on Welfare to support their communities.
I encourage you all to check the investigations that have been done by diffferent authorities in the state of Utah, Colorado. Investigations that were pushed by many people including Dr. Phil McGraw.

Brainwashed Brides
Dr. Phil goes inside a religious sect where young girls are reportedly forced to marry men three times their age and bear as many children as possible. On the verge of becoming child brides, two teens escaped. Now they turn to Dr. Phil for help leaving their painful past behind.

Is the law looking the other way? Dr. Phil and Jay investigate in Part 2.
http://drphil.com/shows/show/479

Inside the Cult
Dr. Phil delves further inside a controversial polygamous community where girls as young as 14 are reportedly forced to marry older men who have multiple wives, and young boys are forced to leave town.
http://drphil.com/shows/show/527/

The Lost Boys
Hundreds of young boys are being forced to leave the only town and family they know so that the older men in the community can have more wives.
http://drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/2567/?id=2567


http://www.newsmeat.com/news/meat.php?articleId=19286216&channelId=2951&buyerId=newsmeatcom&buid=3281
Abuse investigation of polygamous sect moving into courtroom; mothers ask Texas gov. for help
JENNIFER DOBNER
AP Features
Apr 14, 2008 10:51 EST
A court began laying the groundwork Monday to sort out the custody arrangements for hundreds of young children seized from a polygamist sect, with nearly four dozen lawyers seeking to represent the children in attendance.
State District Judge Barbara Walther held the hearing to prepare for Thursday's expected marathon session, when the state will plea for permanent custody of the 416 children taken early this month from the Eldorado ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a renegade Mormon sect.
Gary Banks, a lawyer representing the state Children's Protective Services, told the judge the state believes "there is a systematic process at the ranch near Eldorado at which children were exploited and sexually abused."
The children were rounded up and placed in temporary custody in a raid that began April 3 after a domestic violence hot line recorded a complaint from a 16-year-old girl. She said she was physically and sexually abused by her 50-year-old husband.
Walther was clearly struggling with how to organize what is believed to be the largest child-custody hearing in Texas history, and perhaps in the nation. Texas bar officials say more than 350 attorneys from across the state have volunteered to represent the children for free. Child welfare laws require each child in state custody to have an attorney.
"If I gave everybody five minutes, that would be 70 hours," Walther said, stressing a need for efficiency as well as the protection of the children's rights.
Three mothers of the children have appealed to Gov. Rick Perry for help in a letter the sect said was mailed to him on Saturday.
In the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the mothers from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claim some of their children have become sick and even required hospitalization. They also say children have been questioned about things they know nothing about since they were placed in the legal custody of the state.
The one-page letter, signed by three women who claim they represent others, says about 15 mothers were away from the property when their children were removed. The mothers said they want Perry to examine the conditions in which the removed children have been placed.
"You would be appalled," the letter said. "Many of our children have become sick as a result of the conditions they have been placed in. Some have even had to be taken to the hospital. Our innocent children are continually being questioned on things they know nothing about. The physical examinations were horrifying to the children. The exposure to these conditions is traumatizing them."
Perry spokesman Robert Black said Monday that the letter hadn't yet arrived. Black also said the governor was being briefed daily on the situation but didn't plan to interfere with the work of state child welfare or law enforcement agencies.
Asked about claims that children were hospitalized, state Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marissa Gonzalez said she had not seen the letter and would have to review it before commenting. Officials have said that about a dozen children had chicken pox and that others needed prescription medications but hadn't said whether any were hospitalized.
The children are being housed in San Angelo's historic Fort Concho and at the nearby Wells Fargo pavilion. About 140 women from the ranch are also with the children, although they are not in state custody.
On Saturday, five FLDS women staying at the fort told Salt Lake City's Deseret News that the temporary shelter is cramped — cots, cribs and play pens are lined up side by side — and that many of the children are frightened.
An FLDS member who told the AP that his family members are among those inside the fort called the removal of phones a punishment.
"This was nothing more than retaliation of CPS to punish those who were disclosing what is really happening behind that wall of this concentration camp," said Don, who asked that only his first name be used because of the custody hearings.
Affidavits filed by child protection workers said they found a pattern of abuse at the Yearning for Zion ranch in Eldorado, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) south of San Angelo.
The 1,700-acre (700-hectare) fenced ranch, a former game preserve, was bought by the FLDS in 2003. A number of large dormitory-style homes have been built, along with a small medical center, a cheese factory, a rock quarry, a water treatment plant and a towering, white limestone temple.
The FLDS practices polygamy in arranged marriage that often pair underage girls with older men. The faith believes the practice will brings glorification in heaven. The mainstream Mormon church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, does not practice polygamy.
-Associated Press writer Tony Winton contributed to this report.-

Thursday April 17, 2008, 12:34 pm
I am sending my love, thoughts and prayers out upon the winds for these poor women and children. They so need our support and compassion.

Have compassion.
Instead of getting angry at the women, the mothers, understand that they have been isolated...and kept apart of the outside world. The only thing they know is what was taught to them from their lousy worthless men. The men that no one can find.
These young men had no control over how they were raised, and a terrible way of life before they were kicked out of the only home they knew.

http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2008/04/forgotten-children-of-flds-polygamist.html
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The Forgotten Children of the FLDS Polygamist Group, The Lost Boys
While people are claiming such outrage over 416 children removed from the FLDS compound and the mothers are going to the press to shed tears and act like victims, everyone seems to forget the other children of the FLDS... The Lost Boys.While it is difficult to estimate the exact number of young boys, some only 13 years of age, rough estimates have the number at 400 to as many as 1,400 young boys have been put on to the streets after having been thrown out of the FLDS for a variety of reasons, some as little as kissing a girl, or wearing a short sleeved shirt.

The Lost Boys.

The mothers say the boys are "dead" to them, because the "prophet" has decided they are no longer a member of the family.

Most of the Lost Boys are between the ages of 13 and 21 when banished from or pressured to leave compounds such as the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch.

They were raised to fear the outside world, fear authorities and have a very limited education, but because men in the FLDS sect must have at least three wives, the women to men ratio wouldn't allow for that if the boy children were all allowed to stay and with some of the FLDS men having up to 10 wives, that makes it even more necessary to send these children packing, out into a world they have been taught to fear, to sleep on the street.

One of these boys, named Franky, says, "How a father or a mother can suddenly take a child and kick them out and never speak with them again, that's just unbelievable."

Another of those boys is Gideon Barlow, who says he arrived in this strange world as an orphan from another world, at the age of 16.

At 17, he begged to visit his mother on Mother's Day, to just give her a gift, yet the mother told him that he was "dead" to her.

Gideon is one of the ''Lost Boys," a group of more than 400 teenagers -- some as young as 13 -- who authorities in Utah and Arizona say have fled or been driven out of the polygamous enclaves of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City over the last four years.

His stated offenses: wearing short-sleeved shirts, listening to compact discs, and having a girlfriend. Other boys say they were booted out for going to movies, watching television, and staying out past curfew.


Another "Lost Boy" was John Jessop who was kicked out of the family at the age of 13 years old because he ran away for three day and another is Sam Icke who was kicked out of his home for kissing a girl.

At the time the plight of the children came to light, in 2005, it was not the mothers that these boys blamed for refusing to acknowledge their existence, it was Warren Jeff, who was the "prophet" of the FLDS and it was him they wanted punished.

These boys still loved their mothers, even after having their mothers shun them and refuse to consider them alive, throwing them away as if they were garbage, out into the world that they had first taught these children to fear.

More of these former FLDS children have come forward recently, since the Child Protective Services took 416 children from the FLDS compound and they too find very little pity for the mothers that are crying for the cameras.

One of which is Richard Holm and he says, "They (FLDS leaders) are guilty of what they're accusing the authorities of doing."

"I think it's an act of desperation to a degree. They don't know what else to do," Holm said. "They howl and cry that they're being ripped away from this wonderful family condition they're in when they've got blood on their hands. They did it to me and several hundred other men."


Warren Jeff, the leader of the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Warren Jeff was put onto the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on Utah state charges related to his alleged arrangement of extralegal marriages between his adult male followers and underage girls. He was arrested in August of 2007 and additionally charged with sexual conduct with minors and incest—in two separate cases.

He was convicted of of two counts of rape as an accomplice for forcing young girls to marry older men, in his FLDS compounds.

Jeffs is awaiting trial on similar charges in Arizona.

One of those girls was 14 and at first she was known as Jane doe but later allowed her name to be published. That brave girl's name is Elissa Wall and she was the only girl that testified because others were scared to come forward.

According to prosecutors, Jeffs married them, told them to multiply and replenish the Earth. And then they consummated their marriage. What jurors don't know is that Jeffs is on the FBI's 10- most-wanted list because he's accused of doing this with many other girls under the age of 18. But Elissa Wall is the only one who has come forward. And that's why she's the only witness in this particular case.


15 of his followers were in court that day, making the same claims they make now that their young children have been taken away pending abuse allegations, claiming they are persecuted because of their religion.

The children in state protective care.

News reports are coming out now that say some of the children in Texas state care cannot even name or point out who is their actual mother is and they continue to give authorities different names.

Meisner said child welfare officials still can't find birth certificates for many of the children, making parentage and age determinations impossible. She said many of the children don't know who their parents are and many have the same last name but may or may not be related.

"It's a difficult process," she said.


Many of these children associate more than one woman as their mother and cannot even provide information such as their own birth dates.

The Raid.

When child welfare investigators first went to the YFZ Ranch, they found many pregnant teenagers and underage girls who said they were forced to marry, according to court documents unsealed on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

The decision to finally raid the FLDS compound came after a phone call from a girl claiming she was being abused at the YFZ Ranch, a girl who still has not been found yet or has not stepped forward, but also after 4 years of obtaining information from a confidential informant, according to the local sheriff.

SAN ANGELO — The local sheriff today defended his decision not to intervene sooner at a West Texas polygamist compound, despite having a confidential informant who provided him with information over four years.

The confidential informant told authorities days ago that beds in the group's sacred temple at the Yearning for Zion Ranch were used by adult men to have sex with underage girls, according to court documents.

"It's just like anything. If you have a meth lab on your property and you feel it's there, you're not going to (trample) their civil rights or treat them any differently until you get probable cause or information or an outcry," said Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran.


Many try to claim now that it was one phone call that led to 416 children being taken from their homes. Those same people ignore the fact that whenever an allegation of abuse is made, investigators go into a home and do their jobs, which is to investigate.

It was that investigation that led them to find pregnant young teens, some of which already had other children. It was that investigation that led to findings which made investigators believe the children were suffering from abuse and neglect.

The documents detailed the evidence that Texas officials presented to a judge to justify taking temporary state custody of more than 400 children from the YFZ Ranch, near the tiny town of Eldorado, built by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The papers say that in responding to an initial report that a 16-year-old girl had been sexually abused at the ranch, a guarded complex with a towering limestone temple at its center, investigators found many young girls who either were pregnant or had given birth.


Why did the authorities wait so long?

Over the years there have been many brave girls that have escaped and young boys that have been thrown out of their homes at various FLDS compounds that have come out and told of the abuses that run rampant within the confines of the YFZ Ranch and other compounds in different states.

Yet authorities continued to let this abuse continue until a little over a week ago, doing nothing but receiving information from a confidential informant, even after the leader of that sect, Warren Jeff, was convicted of conspiracy to rape a 14 year old child by marrying her off. Even after being aware that Jeff was wanted by the FBI under accusations that he married off many other girls who were under the age of 18.

Was that not a bright red flag waving in the face of the state?

In the words of Carolyn Jessop, whose ex-husband Merril Jessop runs the YFZ Ranch:

Everybody totally accepts that a little girl born into a monogamous family, that she has the right to help if she's being abused. But once you touch a little girl that's been born into a polygamous family, everybody goes through the roof and it's 'religious persecution,'" she said. "That is not the case. That little girl has as much right to protection by the United States government as a little girl that's born into a monogamous family. We just need to cut through the crap."


Yes, we do need to cut through the crap and the outrage of those children being taken from their mothers.... the same group that will toss their 13 year old boys onto the street, never caring if they lived or died, the same group that allowed little Elissa Walls to married off at the age of 14 and the same group that cannot even produce birth certificates to prove that these children are even theirs.

Where was that outrage when the "Lost Boys" were tossed out like garbage? Where was that outrage when the girls that escaped the abuse they were suffering at the FLDS compound, reported the crimes? Where was all this outrage as these children were being abused?

The saddest thing of all here, is that some of these same children that these mothers want returned immediately, before the investigation is complete, the boys, will most probably become "Lost Boys" themselves by the time they hit 15.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 12:46 pm

Also, after watching this discussed this morning on Good Morning America, I was left with the nagging question posed by one person interviewed:

When the compound was "stormed" and the children removed (most of which have many siblings -- from whom they will be separated because most foster homes will not be able to accommodate them) . . .

Wouldn't it have been a better decision to have only removed the men -- leaving the women and children, instead of breaking up the families???

Thursday April 17, 2008, 2:24 pm
Young boys are being expelled by the hundred!!! This is EVIL! These people all need to be brought up on charges for that child neglect as well!! That should be proof alone that these people are doing horrible things with these girls. They keep only the girls to few nasty old men that get to stay and run things!!!! SICK!!!!
I thought the boys were just raised separately to keep this cult alive.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 3:32 pm
Many people should read this, and prevent this from happening today, and in the future.
These people, aswell as the parents of those children, aproving these acts, are sick.
Tnx for posting this sad story, Nancy

Thursday April 17, 2008, 4:01 pm
These boys and girls have suffered so much and its really tragic. but even more so, What is tragic, is how for years the government has known of the sexual abuse among the members and the children of the compund and just now storme dit? And as a previous post mentioned why not take only the men and leave the women and children so as not to separate families?

We have so many teen boys in this country who are criminalized for life for teen consensual sex acts, no abuse, and yet thesemen are committing real sexual abuse against these children and being allowed too.

This story simply shows how screwed up laws are in this country and who the real predators are not the boys for consensual but these men who are sleeping with these girls, marrying them and multiplying the numbers of children.I understand they were raised this way but alot of men who are registered were sexually abused and its no excuse for them or these men.

Mary
http://www.rickyslife.com
Please help enact romeo/Juliet laws

Thursday April 17, 2008, 4:49 pm
When I moved to Utah Mar. 28, 1977, I quickly learned about the infamous Ervil LeBaron. He just committed a murder in Texas about the time I moved, then a few more people were killed.

In fact, his clan is still on the run today. You can read about one of them on the FBI list, http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/fugitives/cei/lebaron_jt.htm

The LeBaron are a polygamy clan that broke off from the LDS church (as have quite a few other churches, mostly in the West).

Thursday April 17, 2008, 5:25 pm
I just have to comment again to thank my friend Daniel Barker for letting us in on these people. The information is appreciated. Thanks for the site. I can't believe this sub human is still free, this LeBaron guy.. These are sick people in the mind to think that it's okay to be married to more than one person at a time I must say that. I think people that need to "belong" to someone or something {such as a clan or cult} have mind problems...and are looking for love in all the wrong places. Then they have these poor innocent children born into this lifestyle and they think it's okay too..because that is the way they are taught. It sickens me to no end to think that people can think that they have that much mind control over souls who are down and not as strong as theirs, that they prey upon the weak and they push their will on them & their beliefs. We all have our own minds, that's the beauty of being individual, these people were swayed by a manipulator, just like the "David Karesh" nutcase...
Remember this, we are all one, yes, but no one can push their beliefs or will upon you enough to hurt your own children. I could never do that! Subject my child to such a lifestyle..I respect all people, but these people do not deserve my respect because of the harm they causing others. Especially the children.
FreeSpiritRunning...

Thursday April 17, 2008, 6:39 pm
I 'm in the dark on this only because I was busy with other matters. I did see bit of an interview some of the women had with Larry King and they were like robots. There was no emotion and they all talked the same.

I gotta read up on this, but I do know that there are some sick people in the world that do this and they need to be locked up.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 6:43 pm
Imagine if women formed cults like this and had each one had many husbands.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 6:45 pm

Few women can stand ONE husband, Dave! LOL

(I don't see it happenin')

Thursday April 17, 2008, 7:11 pm
LOL...I knew someone was going to post a response like that.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 8:44 pm

All kidding aside, I do feel a petition rising in my soul.

Someone needs to address the intelligence of dispersing/separating these siblings and further traumatizing the victims: the children and mothers.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 9:24 pm
There's definitely going to be need of counseling for the children and the women. As for the men, jail is about the easiest thing they should get. I could think of a few other things that need to be done, to show these sorry excuses for men, they'll never pull that crap again.

There's pockets of these men here in Canada and throughout the USA. It's time to get in there and stop this once and for all. Using religion and the name of God to justify what they're doing is their self-serving excuse to continue it.

Stamp it out now!!!

Wednesday May 7, 2008, 5:38 am
These children are so damaged mentally, both boys and girls. To put the boys on the street is unhumane. Aren't there any laws to protect them. Furthermore, aren't there laws against bigamy and child abuse? Is that a figment of my imagination.?