One of the dozens of wives of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs has escaped the cult’s compound — but only after being caught in her first attempt and drugged to keep her from trying again.
The told her story to sheriff’s deputies who helped the 25-year-old woman leave the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints compound in Colorado City, Utah, said Washington County Detective Nate Abbott.
He said deputies arrived on a “keep the peace” call at about 3 p.m.
“She asked for assistance in leaving the community and a deputy facilitated that request,” he said.
“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office helped a woman leave a polygamous community in Colorado City on Tuesday that is run by jailed fundamentalist sect leader Warren Jeffs,” reported Nur Kausar for the St. George Daily Spectrum.
He said no standoff took place but that he could not release where the woman was taken for reasons concerning her safety.
Willie Jessop, a former spokesman for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told the Associated Press that he contacted authorities on the woman’s behalf, but declined to provide other details.
Colorado City and nearby Hildale, Utah, are the Jeffs’ former headquarters. According to court documents, Jeffs, 55, who is now serving a life sentence in prison, has at least 78 wives. DNA evidence presented during the trial proved Jeffs had fathered a child with a 15-year-old child bride. Audio recordings were played on which jurors heard him sexually assaulting a 12-year-old and instructing other minors on how to please him sexually.
By submitting to his sexual needs in sessions that Jeffs branded “heavenly” or “celestial,” the girls were told they were pleasing God and helping to atone for the sins of their community.
‘If the world knew what I was doing, they would hang me from the highest tree,’ Jeffs wrote in a chilling journal entry from 2005 – one of thousands of pages of notes seized by authorities.
The Washington County Attorney is looking into allegations that the 25-year-old woman was held against her will and drugged to prevent her escape.
According to the British newspaper the Daily Mail, she had been living with her parents inside the cult compound and escaped, taking refuge at Jessop’s home. He is a former spokesman for the cult and has left the group.
Isaac Wyler, another former sect member who still lives in the community, said the sheriff’s deputies helped diffuse what had become a stand-off with FLDS men outside Jessop’s office — demanding that the 25-year-old be turned over to them.,
Jessop told the Salt Lake City Tribune that he contacted authorities on the woman’s behalf
“She came to me under duress for some help. We’ve got her help. She’s deciding what she wants to do and how we can help facilitate that. One hundred percent of the focus now is on whatever is in her best interests.”
The sect, which has about 10,000 members, practices polygamy in arranged marriages that have sometimes involved underage girls.
Leaving the devout community has historically been difficult for members because family and friends are required to sever all contact.
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posted October 16, 2011 at 10:05 am
It is a shame and disgrace when Christians are not allowed to give their view and witness for Jesus and the Muslims and every other group are allowed their opportunity to do what they want. Jesus said that we would be hated by the world if we were his witnesses , but for us to rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great was our reward in Heaven. These other groups have it wrong. They are like a bunch of greedy babies who can’t see clearly the whole Truth. We are instructed to pray for these kind and not hate anyone, whatever the reason might be.
posted October 19, 2011 at 5:14 pm
One of Mr.Jeff’s wives escaped. Is that why I keep seeing t.v. commercials advertising Mormonism ? He needs new wives ?
posted November 15, 2011 at 3:31 am
I am not a Mormon but it seems unfair to condemn the entire church for the sins of a small cult that has cut ties with the rest of the church. Most Mormons are good people who do not condone such behavior. To malign them is like condemning all of Christianity because of Jim Jones’ fanaticism.
posted November 18, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Only 77 more to go! Hope they take the kids too.
posted November 23, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Religion, every religion, is evil, period. There is not one single religion around that exists for any purpose other than crowd control. Religion is not divine – it is the malicious few realizing they can beat the crap out of others if they make others believe some fairy tale BS, and make them believe their soul or salvation depends on it. More like their “slavation” depends on it. People need to THINK, not just follow blindly, and that include Christians. I am constantly amazed at how a seemingly intelligent person will realize the flaws of Mormonish, Islam, or other idiotic rhetoric, only to then say they believe in the whole myth of Christ. NONE of it is true. We are here and that is all. People make me sick with their stupidity and their inability to do much more than fight like kids taunting each other with, “My god is better than your god.” Give me a break.
posted November 23, 2011 at 3:54 pm
It must be lonely — knowing all the answers and certain there’s no loving Creator who loves you and wants you to find Him — even if you have to wade through the mess humans have made of His simple message … that He loves you.