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Aug 19, 2008 1:17 pm US/Central

Judge Sends Polygamist Child Bride To Foster Care

SAN ANGELO (AP) ― A Texas judge has ordered a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly married to jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs be taken from her mother and placed in foster care.

Texas District Judge Barbara Walther on Tuesday said there was "uncontroverted evidence of the underage marriage."

Witnesses for the state have argued during the custody hearing in San Angelo that the girl's mother, Barbara Jessop, isn't a suitable caregiver because the girl and several other children were involved in underage marriages.

Walther said she was concerned that Jessop was unable to provide assurances the girl could be protected in the future. Walther, however, said the girl's 11-year-old brother would be allowed to stay with his mother.

Child welfare authorities have been investigating the cases of 440 children since the Texas Supreme Court ordered that the children removed from the Yearning For Zion Ranch in April be returned to their parents.