Matthew Waller of the San Angelo Standard-Times has monitored the construction at the ranch over time, and reported in December that Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is a frequent visitor to the ranch, drawn there by complaints about violations. Some day they may approach me. She and other mothers declined to answer the officers' questions about which child belonged to who. Some are critical of the way children were separated from their mothers, and Im sure that was very traumatic. A decade after the largest custody battle in U.S. history, some of those involved speak about their memories. I remember the tension of that meeting. If you would like to become a moderator please contact u/CuriousAnon420. Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune In 2014, the state seized the YFZ property; right now, its in litigation from a former member. The Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch, a polygamist community in Eldorado, Texas, made national headlines in March 2008 when armed authorities raided the community. These are the most devout followers of Warren Jeffs. "We study animals and everything that has a purpose," she says. YFZ RANCH, Texas The children's shoes still sit neatly, side by side where they last left them. Carmen Dusek. "I finally figured out that every time that I differed in opinion, that was a brainwash.". Betty had a hard time adjusting to life in the outside world, and two days after her 18th birthday she left her mother and siblings to return to the YFZ Ranch. Map Directions Satellite Photo Map Wikipedia Localities in the Area Eldorado Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY 3.0. San Angelo was the staging ground for much of the raid and subsequent housing of the assaulted children. Seven of those girls had one or more children. After providing historical background at a polygamy trial in Cranbook, Canada in April 2017, Brian Hales met a Texas Ranger who had been involved in the 2008 raid of the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch. You can expect to see some military activity in the coming days on and around the ETG Ranch northeast of Eldorado. The Eldorado Success, March 25, 2004, https://web.archive.org/web/20050707083014/http://www.myeldorado.net/YFZ%20Pages/YFZ032504b.html, accessed October 30, 2017. I found this blog a while ago after watching the Netflix documentary on the YFZ ranch. ETG thats the new name for the former YFZ Ranch where the ranchs operators plan to routinely hold tactical training events for the military and governmental agencies. Photos of the Former FLDS compound in Eldorado, Texas. YFZ Ranch Facts for Kids - Kids encyclopedia Yes, according to a testimony in Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey and reported by The Independent, which claims Warren Jeffs is still running the FLDS and exercising influence on members from prison even. The heavy duty overhead supports are consistent with rumors that a larger-than-life stone statue of Warren Jeffs was destined to be positioned above for all to see. Email: success@myeldorado.net, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. But the fact that those victims are still missing? Shannon has been told that her youngest child, who is just 2 years old, clings to her caretaker in the shelter where she was taken. 1 of 4 This is a 2012 aerial view of the church and surrounding lodging at Warren Jeffs' Yearning for Zion ranch in Eldorado. It was how they left. Thats a common strain, a push-pull of competing interest between law enforcement and CPS. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Carolyn Jessop, a former FLDS member, is one of its most vocal critics of the church. Rural School Districts Are Facing Financial Ruin. I think about it a lot. I've met my match in this room. It's too quiet," says Nancy, struggling to keep her emotional voice loud enough to be heard. The online campus maps don't have it listed., Chris on Juanita Brooks Conference Schedule: I just registered. Doc IIIIIII. Apparently, Jeffs ordered the construction of this amphitheater for the leaders of the world to gather to recognize him as the Lord?s anointed and to hear him preach. Schleicher County sheriff David Doran and child victim advocate Flora Jessop in 2004. All rights reserved. Sheriff Doran and Ranger [Brooks] Long had developed a rapport with Merril Jessop, and we could talk with him and accomplish our goal and mission: to look for the so-called child making the outcry. Latter Day Saint movement . "I've seen several," says one 17-year-old girl. "They have manners and are trained well in loving and blessing others.". They're breaking every rule. We are pleased to host three guest posts from Craig L. Foster, Newel G. Bringhurst, and Brian Hales. She stood helpless in the doorway and watched as her children, grandchildren and family members were loaded onto buses. I recorded them. Then she heard them call for backup. While the precise purpose of the new building is unclear to outsiders, rumors are flying. San Antonio is two hundred miles to the southeast while Dallas is three hundred miles to the north east. It's important that you see it, and that's something that people don't quite get. If those children stayed and we had another Waco, the question would always be: Why didnt you get the children out? "What does your faith and religion teach about black people?" Of all the structures on the Yearning for Zion ranch, none was more striking than the temple. Within the boundaries of the ranch, members of the FLDS discovered an area of limestone sufficiently hard to be used in construction. By Craig Foster, Newel Bringhurst, and Brian Hales. The fallout from the report was immense: law enforcement entered the property to search for Sarah, who, they found out months later, didnt exist. Why didnt you find me? and the answer is: because of government red tape. San Angelo, the closest large city to the ranch, is forty-five miles north. Built by the polygamist FLDS ( Fundamental Latter Day Saints ). You can expect to see some military activity in the coming days on and around the ETG Ranch northeast of Eldorado. Aerial photos of the YFZ Ranch outside Eldorado show strange constructions underway at the polygamist compound. Sometimes names were changed. Put new text under old text. Behind the scenes of Oprah's YFZ Ranch visit, Watch a typical day for Richard and his family, Inside the ranch while the children were away, Lisa Ling goes inside a polygamist compound. I dont think that Randy Stout [co-lead counsel] and I ever stood in one place for more than three minutes. Conversation. Texas contended most of the crimes were committed on the ranch, which sits outside the town of Eldorado. These are innocent and sweet children," she said. This subreddit has no affiliation with any governing or regulatory bodies in San Angelo, TX. There were so many families that needed attorneys and we had very little time with them. When I found out theyd raided the compound I was like, Youve got to be kidding me. I think Rozita, in her way, was trying to help the FLDS girl she met but I dont think she understood the impact it was going to have. Yearning for Zion Ranch, with boundaries approximately one mile by two miles, was acquired by Davis S. Allred in 2003. Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. Following is their account of this remarkable visit to the ranch. Texas is trying to care for a polygamous ranch while trying to sell it "We are not child abusers. Not many members of the YFZ who have left are talking. on Wikipedia. San Angelo was the staging ground for much of the raid and subsequent housing of the assaulted children. That routine includes religious studies, along with math, earth science, English and spelling. He said when the authorities arrived at the ranch, they saw a couple of men high up on the platform and worried if they had high-powered rifles this could be bad for them. Do we just take our own vehicles to the, Sher on Juanita Brooks Conference Schedule: Where is the Utah Tech main theatre? To this day, Im the conservator. All but one of the 439 children taken from the ranch in the federal raid have returned, but a cloud of suspicion looms over the community due to reports of underage marriages. But it wasn't the way they moved in that grabbed people's attention. The San Angelo Standard-Times reports members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints settled in a remote area near Eldorado, Texas, and isolated themselves on their self-built compound, the Yearning for Zion Ranch. Newspapers released names of facilities caring for the . The property was suppose to be a sanctuary. Despite her sorrow and frustration, she says she has faith that she will see her children again. This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject. The women wanted to know: Where are they taking our children? We take very good care of them. I dont think anybody understood the impact it was going to have. You just hope the seed was planted that while theres lots of evil in the outside world, the outside world, as a whole, was not evil. The skin, if you will, was to be applied there, and then later was to be returned back to Texas." If the story is true, the statue arrived back at the YFZ Ranch the night of Nov. 29. I told them this was a very secretive group. above the doors, similar to the houses of the faithful in Hildale and Colorado City, known locally as Short Creek. Connect. Salt Lake television reporter John Hollenhorst took to the skies above the YFZ Ranch outside Eldorado to report on new, strange construction underway at the polygamist ranch. Husbands and wives can only shake handsbut for no more than three seconds. Jeffs, who was known to visit the YFZ Ranch, is serving life plus 20 years in prison for raping two girls one age 12, the other 15 he had taken as polygamous brides. Im not haunted by anything other than that victims had to endure this. For $40, You Can Get an Excellent Steak Dinner Off a Dirt Road in the Panhandle. Photographer Trent Nelson collected photos of the ranch that stood for "Yearning for Zion." Number two, if they violate a law, you take action so they know where the line in the sand is drawn. NEWS REPORT: Former FLDS ranch in Schleicher County to be sold for $4.17M Staff report 0:05 0:30 According to a report from the San Antonio Express-News, the YFZ Ranch in Schleicher County. All Rights Reserved, Fort Concho: Tight quarters, fear taking toll on moms, children; exclusive phone interview, FLDS parents hit with court papers for pending custody battle. I feel good that Warren Jeffs was arrested, prosecuted, and sent to life in prison, along with those who committed similar crimes. These aerial views of the YFZ (Yearning for Zion) Ranch outside of Eldorado, Texas, were taken on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, just days after law enforcement officers raided the FLDS compound. French Visitor Center. Doc IIIIIII on Twitter: "We have 2 drilling rigs working on the One of the clients was an older woman. Theres a whole other part to the story that was never exposed about how Rozita was getting the information she was getting, but it was from somebody in the FLDS. Other limestone blocks were finely finished and used on the temple exterior, as well as the unfinished amphitheater. AMA: I was a lawyer for a bunch of the kids removed from YFZ Ranch. ETG - that's the new name for the former YFZ Ranch where the ranch's operators plan to routinely hold tactical training events for the military and governmental agencies. It would appear that plays and concerts were not anticipated. YFZ Ranch remains in limbo 10 years after raid near Eldorado When it comes to reading fiction, Tammy says it doesn't have a place in the curriculum. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. You know what would satisfy me is if somebody in the FLDS had the backbone to stand up and say, Here are all these children, and give them unfettered access to their families. Talk:YFZ Ranch - Wikipedia The state removed the children as it investigates allegations of abuse at the YFZ Ranch. I wonder if some thirty-year-old kid is going to ask me, Why didnt you do something? Most entrances displayed signs ?ZION? Watch Oprah's visit with the second grade class. Yearning for Zion Ranch in Texas empty 10 years after raid And the view was. In the end, eleven FLDS men were given prison sentences for crimes related to bigamy and sexual assault. YFZ RANCH, Texas The children's shoes still sit neatly, side by side where they last left them. When asked about having children with multiple women, Richard says it's a hard conversation to have. Looking for online definition of YFZ or what YFZ stands for? Investigators eventually found that two girls living at YFZ were twelve when they were ordered to marry, three were thirteen, two were fourteen, and five were fifteen. He has broken down the family structure of the FLDS in the past few years so that there are no more marriages in the FLDS; husbands and wives have been dissolved and the children have caretakers now. What Happened to the YFZ Ranch? Does it Still Exist - The Cinemaholic One of the problems during the first few weeks was that CPS didnt seem to respect, at the highest level, the need to communicate with the people the court had appointed to represent the rights of the children and speak as their best interest, which was Court Appointed Special Advocates. So I believe the state of Texas handled it correctly and justice was served. In 2003, she escaped from the polygamist compound in Colorado City, Arizona, with her eight children. Twitter: @tribunepolygamy . The YFZ Ranch, or Yearning for Zion Ranch, was a 1,700-acre Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints community of as many as 700 people, . Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. This article was updated to include an interview with Julie Balovich, who spoke with Ms. Vine after publication. Those who spoke asked that only their first names be used. A lot of houses are in need of repair; a lot of them leak. The French Visitor Center has concessions, public seating and restrooms. "It's a discussion that takes a lot of spiritual training and understanding to understand the principles in that way of life," he says. But the child who made the outcry was supposedly sixteen years old, so why take the toddlers? But I concentrate on keeping the infrastructure viable: the roads, the water well, the wastewater plant. "Every day I've called them. FLDS followers deny there is abuse. [1], Observers have wondered if this area was selected for the ranch partly because of its distance from large cities. First look inside YFZ Ranch - Deseret News Empty, ransacked homes, many things were taken, no pictures left.". Katy Vine has been a staff writer since 2002. When she was finally allowed to return to her home on the ranch, because of an ongoing search of the property by authorities, she said nothing was the same. In 2012, the state began the process of seizing the ranch as contraband. Former polygamist ranch near Eldorado finally sold To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. In September 2007, Warren Jeffs, the ranch's leader, was convicted on two counts of accomplice to rape. Reddit, Inc. 2023. Weve got three hundred to four hundred head of exotics out there like black buck that need to be watered. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account and connect your subscription to it by clicking here. A Remarkable Visit to the Yearning for Zion Ranch (Inside YFZ ranch) I found this blog a while ago after watching the Netflix documentary on the YFZ ranch. Maybe one-third of the members have been kicked outthat still leaves many thousands, and theyre scattered all over the country. The building, which appears to be some kind of amphitheater, has thirty-foot walls and is as long as a football field. ), Lindsay Whitehurst, the Salt Lake Tribunes polygamy reporter was awed by the buildings size: It looks huge seemingly larger than what would be necessary to fit the several hundred people likely living on the ranch.. She was unsure, however, of how the students would react to an African-American. Though the call turned out to be a hoax, the details Swinton gave about widespread underage marriage and sexual abuse were anything but. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Some women nursing babies that were thirteen months old were separated from their infants. I think if a child has made an outcry, they had an obligation to investigate. The Yearning for Zion Ranch, or the YFZ Ranch, was a 1,700-acre Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints community of as many as 700 people, located near Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. The Ensign road is trash everywhere. They expected fifty kids max at the ranch and found almost five hundred. This is the YFZ RANCH in Eldorado Texas. "But you might be the hardest people I've ever talked to. He still calls the shots from prison. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Khampha Bouaphanh, MBR / MCT Show More Show Less 7 of 7 Women and children from the YFZ Ranch, the compound built by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, are moved by bus to San Angelo, Texas, on . Many people in the mainstream media describe the YFZ Ranch as a compound, but Willie says FLDS members avoid that description. Welcome to r/SanAngelo! You can tell the real professionals. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. She tried to join the 139 mothers that were allowed to accompany their children, but the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services won't allow her inside. Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune A Texas Oak Tree Was Believed to Be Extinct. Eldorado Justice of the Peace Jimmy Doyle flew Hollenhorst up in his plane to survey the new building, a semi-circle made of poured concrete. A photo of Fred Jessop, a former leader of the FLDS Church, with the phrase Lets Go From Where We Are To Where We Want To Be, hangs in a home on the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas. orders to his adherents to ignore legal orders and warrants, it?s not surprising the taped documents were left hanging on the gate as if they didn?t exist. "I know I can't give up. Some State Officials Prefer It That Way. The YFZ Ranch - CBS News "I have driven past the area where they are, and it's completely surrounded by police," she said. ", Since Betty has lived both inside and outside the ranch, she has a unique perspective on the outside world's perception of her faith. The Ironhand guys run the lease road and pick up trash. But when you look at it in the moment, no one knew how the members of the FLDS would respond to the raid. So when the judge ordered the removal of the children and we went out there and found out that there were over four hundred children on the property, we werent prepared. When asked about the raid that took their children, one mother says it "turned [our lives] upside down and inside out.". Oprah Goes Inside the Yearning for Zion Polygamist Ranch The Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch, a polygamist community in Eldorado, Texas. All the students' studies are working toward one goal, Tammy says"To become like God on Earth. Child-sized shovels and miniature wheelbarrows sit on the porch of their three-story, log cabin-like home.. Rep. Pfluger files bill to preserve oil and gas, leave lizard without federal protections. I worry about those boys and girls who went back into homes. We are entirely community driven and moderated. Afterward, CPS gave the families cookie-cutter plans that did not align with the circumstances of the allegations. With Texas taking possession of the YFZ Ranch, we decided it was time to look back. It was the first time they had allowed the media access to places they consider private and sacred. (View a slideshow of detailed photos of the amphitheater. But we still weren't saying anything," she recalled. What Happened to the FLDS and Yearning for Zion Ranch? - Video - Oprah.com We have 2 drilling rigs working on the ranch. I said something along the lines of, Nice of you to finally show up, and he said, Ive been here the whole time. I was stunned to know that he had been on the ground and wouldnt meet with us, because so many issues would have been much simpler if wed had clear communication. Browse 112 yfz ranch photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. I think theyve been through enough. The wicked, in their mind, feel like if they could destroy the records or get them turn over to the authorities, they could destroy us. That was a monumental thing to do, and its not the way to go about things. And that there were people that could help them. Daily, 9 AM-8 PM. You can't argue with the outcome of the raid. Think again: Here are 5 unsolved Utah mysteries you might not know about. Meeting rooms available for reservations provide a peaceful setting for meeting, family functions and celebrations. The 30-year-old says she provided child welfare officials with identification and even birth certificates proving she is her children's mother. She quickly returned to the ranch but wasn't allowed inside. ", When Oprah first enters a class of second graders, she is met with wide eyes and silence. Salt Lake television reporter John Hollenhorst took to the skies above the YFZ Ranch outside Eldorado to report on new, strange construction underway at the polygamist ranch. YFZ Ranch - Wikipedia This grandmother and others at the reclusive ranch belonging to the Fundamentalist LDS Church on Saturday allowed the Deseret News onto their land and into their homes, which were raided last week by Texas authorities. FLDS raid in Texas: How did this happen? - Deseret News Ive got to tell you, she was good. We lost track of every single one of the kids and families on that compound after CPS returned them. We love family life. For $40, You Can Get an Excellent Steak Dinner Off a Dirt Road in the Panhandle. I oversee security and maintenance. Who is your mother? And that alone became tricky. "They told us we're going to take the children unless you tell us who are their mothers. The only noise now emanating from this 1,700-acre compound is the rustle of the wind, birds chirping, the occasional scurry of a roadrunner or a truck traveling along the dirt roads. They deserve to know there is a family out there that cares for them. "Before then, if you do everything that you are supposed to do after you get married, you'll stand up and say 'I did,' instead of 'I do. I tried to let them know that they didnt need to be worried about their own kids, but that the kids on that compound were very much in danger. There are thousands in the city where I live; they have little compounds. "Can you imagine what it's like to come back to nothing? Nate Carlisle. Most importantly stay civil when addressing other Redditors directly. It was hard enough hearing the anguish in the voices of these women, not knowing where their children were and how they could find them. I don't think that Randy Stout [co-lead counsel] and I ever stood in one place for more than three minutes. The devil knows where we are, but through our faith the wicked and the righteous can be blinded and not find this place.[2]. The ranch is unusually quiet since Texas authorities raided it. YFZ Ranch - Wikiwand This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the YFZ Ranch article. In this April 8, 2008 file photo, law enforcement vehicles are parked around the main temple on the grounds of the Yearning For Zion ranch, home of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints near Eldorado, Texas, where state troopers, Texas Rangers and other authorities completed their search. I suspected that if it wasnt a real girl, there was a deeper connection with somebody from the FLDS. After the full advocacy hearing, a DPS trooper drove me to a meeting in a small office and a man walked in the room and said, Im Carey Cockerell. We were led to believe that Carey Cockerell, the DFPS commissioner, was in Austin. Court Files Detail Claims of Sect's 'Pattern' of Abuse I think we did everything we could do. A Visit to the Yearning for Zion Ranch?Part 3 of 3 ADVERTISEMENT French Visitor Center | Three Rivers Park District During the tour on October 28, 2017, we had the opportunity for an in-depth visit to the FLDS Temple. There would have been significantly less confusion and wasted energy and back-and-forth on decisions and we could have continued to focus on where our children fit into what families. Please accept the Oprah.com terms and conditions and privacy policy. "We believe our bodies our sacred from [our neck to our feet]," one girl says. ", When Oprah meets with ten teenage girls, ages 13 to 18, they tell her the raid was not the first time they'd gone outside the ranch's gates. Thats number one. We arrived in Eldorado, Texas, the closest town to the ranch, and met up with our Ranger guide who then drove us to the outer gate of the ranch. Ultimately, I ended up with the Texas Rangers and would dial them into the calls. Thats why the children were given back to their mothers. Members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints settled in a remote area near Eldorado, Texas, and isolated themselves on their self-built compound, the Yearning for Zion. MySA, March 4, 2016, http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Polygamist-diary-describes-secret-bed-used-for-4078569.php, accessed November 2, 2017. Jeffs must serve at . In April 2014, the State of Texas took physical and legal possession of the property. Much of that experience is a blur. We needed the records so we could organize the children and family units for the adversary hearings. Monica, a member of the YFZ polygamous community in Schleicher County near Eldorado, Texas, talks about how Texas officials will not allow her to see her children, who were taken from the ranch last week with more than 400 others. "The children would cry and hang onto their mothers," she said, trembling and wiping away tears. Jessop extended Texas' governor an invitation to come and see where these children are now and what conditions they are being placed under and then to come and see what kind of home they were taken from. "I couldn't believe it. About two and a half weeks before the raid, I received a call from Rozita Swinton, who claimed to be in the FLDS. A cousin is looking after the others. Now, Sen. Bryan Hughes will vote on AG's impeachment. Critics of the sect say it arranges marriages for girls as young as 13. This is the YFZ RANCH in Eldorado Texas. As word of Jeffs' mistreatment of his own followers began to leak out in media reports, many of them moved to what is now the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, constructing their first temple and shunning outsiders and the media. Tom Foster writes about business, innovation, and creative people. "So we cover them.". April 27, 2022 There's no denying that Warren Jeffs took the concept of polygamy and gender roles within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) way too far. There were hundreds of kids who didnt give us consistent information: names had different spellings, children offered different dates of birth. So their involvement, initially, was limited. I wish we could have helped every one of those kids.