Teen From Texas Sect Gives Birth

State says she's younger than 18, but ranch officials deny it
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 29, 2008 7:06 PM CDT
Teen From Texas Sect Gives Birth
A Washington County EMS vehicle, rear, follows charter buses carrying women and children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

One of the teens taken from a polygamist sect in Texas gave birth to a boy today as state police stood guard outside her hospital room, the Houston Chronicle reports. State officials say the mother is younger than 18 and that she will be taken to a foster care facility with her newborn to await a custody hearing, the AP notes. A sect spokesman says the girl is 18.

"I hope they're not planning to take the baby away from her," he said. "I think they consider it property of the state. What's to stop them?" The mother is one of more than 400 youths taken into temporary state custody as authorities investigate sex-abuse charges at the sect's Eldorado ranch. (More Eldorado stories.)

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