13-Year-Old Moms Among Girls From Polygamist Ranch

Moms as young as 13 are among the 416 children removed from the Texas ranch of a polygamous sect, a child protection officer told a hearing yesterday. The state, making its case to keep the children away from the ranch, testified that a pregnant 14-year-old and a number of pregnant 15-year-olds are also among those in custody, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The officer said that girls at the ranch believed it was never too young to marry and having as many children as possible was their duty. "There was a mindset that when the prophet told them it was time get married, that was what they were going to do no matter what the age," she told the court.