Number 7 noteworthy crime and punishment story 2008: Accusations of child abuse in Texas

January 10, 1:58 AMCrime ExaminerCindy Adams

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Ruth, 34, mother of four children taken into custody from the Yearning for Zion ranch. (AP/Tony Gutierrez) 

In April 2008, over 400 children were removed from their parents living on a religious compound after a Texas family shelter received a telephone call from a female claiming to be a 16-year-old girl living at the compound called the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado.  The female alleged child abuse at the ranch owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The female used various names when making her accusations and also called a Washington state battered woman's shelter claiming she had an 8-month-old baby and another one on the way.  She also told authorities that her 49-year-old husband had been sexually and physically abusive to her.

These calls prompted a raid of the ranch by law enforcement resulting in most of its residents being taken into custody.  DNA samples were taken from mothers and children because authorities stated they needed to reunite the children with their mothers, but did not know who belonged with whom until the DNA samples were matched. 

The 16-year-old female caller was not found among those living at the compound and police feared her older husband had absconded with her.

Most of the children were placed in group foster homes rather than with the relatives of those retained although lawyers for the religious group claim the request was made for family placement.  Children between the ages of 1 and 2 were allowed to remain with their mothers, and children who were not sent to group homes were split up and sent to available foster homes. 

Rozita Swinton, 33, made fraudulent calls claiming  to be an abused 16-year-old girl on the ranch. (AP) 

In late April, it was discovered that the initial phone calls made prompting the massive investigation were not made by a 16-year-old girl living on the ranch, but by a Rozita Swinton, 33, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.  She had previously been associated  with the ranch and when she began to call Flora Jessop, a former member of the church, Jessop became suspicious of her claims and began to record Swinton's calls.  This assisted Texas Rangers in tracing the calls to Swinton.

Member of church rejoices upon being reunited with her children. (AP/Johnny Hanson)

In May 2008, the Third Court of Appeals in Austin said the state failed to demonstrate that the children on the ranch were in immediate danger--the only method under Texas state law to take children from their parents without first obtaining a court order.  The state appealed the decision and the Texas Supreme Court upheld the ruling stating, "We are not inclined to disturb the Court of Appeals' decision" and "On the record before us, removal of the children was not warranted."  Most of the children were reunited with their mothers and returned to their homes.  

Feb. 2008, booking photo of Warren Jeffs. (AP) 

One girl, a 14-year-old allegedly married to polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was taken into custody again in August 2008.  Authorities argue her parents refuse to guarantee her safety if she were to remain on the Eldorado ranch.  Jeffs was convicted as an accomplice to rape in Utah and the girl's father is reported to have performed the marriage between his daughter and Jeffs. 

A trial involving the parents of the girl will take place on September 28, 2009.