One of convicted child rapist Warren Jeff's rumored 70+ wives fled the FLDs on Monday.
The as-yet-unidentified woman is 25 years old. She fled the FLDs stronghold of Colorado City after contacting Willie Jessop for assistance.
Jessop is a former spokesman for the FLDs who has denounced Jeffs and is no longer connected to the church.
Jessop in turn contacted local authorities. Officers from both the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado City Town Marshal's office responded. When they arrived at Jessop's home, according to some reports, there was a tense standoff between Jessop and a number of FLDs men. The implication is that the FLDs men were demanding the return of the 25-year-old woman.
Other reports claim that the woman was found barefoot because her shoes had been stolen by members of the group as part of an effort to prevent her escape. There are also reports that this was her second attempt at fleeing, and that she had previously been caught and drugged to prevent another attempt.
It is also reported that she was staying with her parents.
Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said his office will investigate all these claims and file charges if warranted by the evidence.
The escaped woman has been taken to a woman's shelter where she is receiving psychological care.
While no evidence has surfaced to support or refute much of this story, the details as reported by the press match the testimony of other FLDs women who escaped. For example, in her book Escape, former FLDs wife Carolyn Jessop describes being "hunted like prey" by the FLDs after she fled the compound. She also says that as soon as her betrothal to sect leader Merril Jessop was announced, her mother began sleeping in her bedroom every night to prevent the teen bride from running away before the wedding.
It is one thing for a worried community to search for a missing teen. It is quite another for a group of men to demand the return of a legal adult.
We will have to wait for details to emerge.
References
A Warren Jeffs Wive Flees Sect with Police Help- Mary Papenfuss/Newser
One of Warren Jeff's 70 'Wives' Flees Polygamist Enclave-Jennifer Dobner/AP
One of Warren Jeff's 78 Wives Escapes, Describes Captivity at FLDs Cult- Rob Kerby/Beliefnet News
Warren Jeff's Wife Escapes Polygamist Community-John Quinones and Kevin Dolak/Good Morning America
Police Help One of Warren Jeff's Wives Flee Polygamous Community-Lindsay Whitehurst/Salt Lake Tribune
Don't know what is wrong what is rite but i know that every one has there own point of view and same goes to this one
Posted by: Designer LV | February 13, 2012 at 06:03 AM