After a raid on a West Texas Polygamist compound last week, state officials are now preparing for one of the largest child custody cases in US history. All 416 children taken from the ranch are now being held in the custody of the state after their mothers were allowed to return to the ranch on Monday. The custody case, which will be historic in many senses, is underway as the mothers are asking for their children returned to them unharmed as soon as possible.

Originally the mothers voluntarily left the ranch with their children, but returned Monday in what many of them called a trick by state officials who did not inform them that they would have to leave their children behind. Lawyers will begin to sort through the many custody issues at hand at a hearing scheduled near the end of the week. The state of Texas will be looking to set many of the children up in foster care, whereas the mothers of the children will be trying to win back custody of their children at the ranch or elsewhere.

For more information you can read this article on ABC News, “Battle Over Sect Children Begins”. This will be an important case to follow as it is the first of its kind on this type of scale. It could set an important precedent not only in future child custody cases, but how cases like this are handled in the face of religion.