Quote:
Originally Posted by UGAalum94
I think that many of us are curious about what other information the police had, especially considering that it doesn't seem that the specific circumstance related to the call can be substantiated. What did the phone call add to the mix that was missing before? If everyone locally knew/suspected what was going on, why did it take such a lame standard of proof to tip the scales?
I know that the police have to get a search warrants, but I think the standards for the warrants are shockingly low sometimes. Think about some of the no-knock raid-gone wrong stories that have come out this year (there was an especially bad one in Atlanta last year). Sometimes the standards to get the warrants deeply flawed, and it's really creepy from a civil liberties perspective, even when you are glad about the outcome, like in this case.
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Okay so if you know there's a FLDS "compound" or "ranch" or what-have-you, you already have some idea exactly what is happening there, but you have no evidence. You get a call with specific information, names and locations and ages. "Yes" you think, "a chance to at LEAST check this place out and at MOST shut them down." You show up and there are over 400 children there. You can't find "Sarah" or at least, no one admits to being her. You do find 12-16 year olds with children and older teens with multiple children.
According to Texas' law, where you cannot marry under the age of 16/consent to sex even WITH parental permission, this means something illegal is happening. Add in the knowledge you have about the FLDS church and you know exactly what is happening.
At this point you
have to take the children. And you can't leave some behind, there's a chance they'll disappear. There's a pattern of repeated abuse and exploitation, and it's crazy to leave children in a habitually abusive home. These policies were put in place before they ever thought they'd need to remove 400 children at once, but they make sense.
And generally, the last thing that DCFS/CPS wants is to take children away. Usually the family is the best place for the child, even if it isn't perfect. (Or from a heartless perspective it's all about the $$$).