yfz ranch

The YFZ Ranch, also known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch,[1] is a 1,700-acre (7 km2) community which housed as many as 700 just outside of Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. It is owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). It is about 45 miles (72 km) southwest of San Angelo and 4 miles (6 km) northeast of Eldorado. The Ranch was settled by members of the FLDS Church who left Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona under increasing scrutiny from the media, anti-polygamy activists and law enforcement officials.[2]

In 2008, state authorities entered the community after Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) and other authorities received several hoax calls impersonating abused juveniles, among them a 16-year-old Sarah from the ranch. Officers removed nearly every child to state custody after determining that they were actual or potential victims of abuse. The state determined that the minors had to be protected from force or socialization into underage marriages. Since CPS considered the children to be residents of a single household, all the children had to be removed. Residents and critics questioned if the raid violated the civil rights of the families, due to their religious beliefs about marriage. Those who believe that the families have been separated and housed in substandard shelters criticize the raid as unnecessarily putting the children at risk, and residents asked that the children be returned.

In May, the Third Court of Appeals, in Austin, ruled that the state had not presented sufficient evidence of immediate danger to remove the children. CPS appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which upheld the Appeals Court ruling and ordered the return of the children. On June 2, the media published photos and video of parents and children returning to the ranch, and the FLDS church announced they would officially renounce underage marriage.[3] The total cost of the raid and the ensuing litigation was reported to be upwards of $14 million.[4] Contents [hide] 1 Background 2 April 2008 raid 3 Post-raid events 4 Court rulings 5 Controversy 5.1 Rozita Swinton 5.2 Age dispute 5.3 Other criticism 6 Press coverage 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links //

Background A view of the FLDS ranch

The FLDS church purchased the ranch in 2004 for $700,000[5] and quickly began development on the property.[6] When William Benjamin Johnson (who was fined for hunting without a license) purchased the property, he contended that the buildings were a corporate hunting retreat.[2] Later, ranch officials disclosed that the hunting retreat description was inaccurate; the buildings were part of the FLDS church's residential area.[7]

Currently the ranch, home to approximately 500 people who relocated from Arizona and Utah communities, houses a temple, a waste