In 1890, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church,
stopped the practice of polygamy, or taking multiple wives, in order to gain statehood for Utah.
Members who still wanted to practice polygamy were then excommunicated. This decision laid the groundwork for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint and one of its most notorious leaders to take on cult-like qualities and allow adult men to marry and abuse young girls.
The Sect Started As A Way To Continue The Practice Of Polygamy
For years, the twin cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona – collectively known as Short Creek – have been home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as FLDS.
The Mormons who wanted to continue to practice polygamy after the traditional church stopped the practice started the religious sect in 1930. The church teaches that a man having multiple wives is ordained by God and can treat the women as property.
Women in this sect typically wear long-sleeved prairie dresses that stretch down to the ankles and pin their hair in a bun.
Warren Jeffs Becomes Prophet Of The Sect, Starts Taking Young Wives
Rulon T. Jeffs ruled as a prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until his death at age 92. His son, Warren Jeffs, then took over in 2002.
Jeffs reportedly started taking young girls as his brides and excommunicating members from the church as soon as he took over. He went as far as to ban members from interacting with the outside world.
Jeffs also hand financial control over his followers. He controlled the United Effort Plan trust, which included all of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sect's land, houses, and assets. While the faith was supposed to benefit all members, Jeffs would reportedly
punish those who went against him by kicking them out of their homes.
The Authorities Search For Jeffs After Reports Of Abuse Come Out
Jeffs went on the run in 2005 after being indicted by an Arizona jury for allegedly forcing a 16-year-old girl to marry a much older man who already had a wife. The FBI placed Jeffs on its top 10 most-wanted fugitives list as he stayed under the radar for more than a year.
In August 2006, Jeffs was stopped by police near Las Vegas. They found four computers, 16 mobile phones, three wigs, a dozen pairs of sunglasses, and more than $ 55,000 in cash in his car. After a raid on one of his compounds, they discovered he had also taken child brides.
Hundreds Of Children Taken From Ranch After Raid
In 2008, authorities received calls to a family violence hotline alleging abuse and rape, and police raided one of the sect's ranches in Texas. Nearly 500 children were removed from the ranch, and about 130 women voluntarily left the compound.
After facing charges in several states, Jeffs in 2011 started serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting two girls aged 12 and 14, whom he described as his "spiritual wives." Jeffs reportedly married up to 80 women and girls, but the government doesn't recognize these marriages.
Nearly A Dozen Face Jail Time In Connection With The Sect
Eleven of 12 suspects from a raid on one of the ranches have since been tried and convicted on charges of child sexual assault, bigamy, or performing an unlawful marriage.
Doctor Lloyd H. Barlow was indicted on three charges of failure to report child abuse, but those charges were later dismissed.
Several survivors, including girls who were forced to marry Jeffs, have shared their stories about the abuse that occurred.
]]>The Inquisitr
