Appeals Court:TX had no right to seize polygamists' kids

The third court of appeals in Austin TX found the case against the Polygamist sect of Latter Day Saints in TX to be invalid. Ruling itself gives lower court judge 10 days to release the kids to their parents. Since the state prosecutors might appeal this decision, it's not yet known when the kids will be returned to their parents.

Some major points are that the state of Texas didn't establish that the kids were in imminent danger, and that the entire group should not have been treated as a single family.

Also, forgotten in all the details of this case: No one ever found "Sara" the supposed 16 year old caller, who is now believed not to exist. Instead these calls were traced to Rozita Swinton in Colorado, a 33 year old woman who has a history of making false calls complaining of abuse.
Internet analysis of this woman abounds, as well as this list of Obama delegates bearing her name.

This article addresses the damage done by false reports of crime, in impeding investigations such as this. Since the initial report is bogus, it has the effect of helping to invalidate the entire case. If there were some actual cases of abuse within the LDS sect, those kids have not been helped.

Some statistics in the case: Of the 31 women originally said to be underage mothers, 15 have been reclassified as adults, and one of the women is 27. This kind of thing isn't helpful in prosecuting future cases concerning abuse of minors.