By Jim Forsyth
SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The state of Texas on Fridayappealed a court ruling that said the state's child protectionagency overstepped its authority by removing roughly 460children from a polygamous compound.
"The Department prays that this court find ... that theThird Court of Appeals abused its discretion," the TexasDepartment of Family and Protective Services said in the appealfiled to the Supreme Court of Texas.
"This case is about adult men commanding sex from underagechildren ... about the need for the Department to take actionunder difficult, time-sensitive and unprecedented circumstancesto protect children on an emergency basis," it said.
The Texas appeals court ruling on Thursday was the latesttwist in an unfolding saga that has riveted the state withlurid tales of adolescent brides, teen pregnancies and asecretive religious sect following its faith in a dusty cornerof the state.
Texas Child Protective Services and heavily armed policeunits raided the isolated west Texas compound in early Apriland removed the children in response to allegations of abuse.
But the appeals court said the state had not proven thechildren were in immediate physical danger, and therefore wereimproperly separated from their parents.
While the opinion covered the children of only 48 mothers,a lawyer said that the ruling likely will apply to all of thechildren, most of whom are in foster care across the state.
The compound is run by followers of jailed polygamistleader Warren Jeffs. They belong to a renegade Mormon sectknown as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-Day Saints (FLDS).
The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsrenounced polygamy over a century ago and is at pains todistance itself from splinter groups such as the FLDS thatcontinue to practice plural marriage.
FLDS men typically marry one legal wife while those whofollow are "spiritual wives." This makes those women single inthe eyes of the state which can entitle them and their childrento various welfare benefits.
FLDS communities usually keep to themselves and leadaustere lifestyles. The girls and women wear 19th century-stylepioneer dresses and are taught from an early age to obey men.
(Reporting by Jim Forsyth, writing by Ed Stoddard, editingby Daisuke Wakabayashi and Vicki Allen)
