El Dorado, USA - Texas officials' attempts to locate a baby born this summer to a girl who is a member of a polygamous sect resumed Tuesday afternoon in San Angelo.
On Thursday, 51st District Judge Barbara Walther ordered the 17-year-old girl, her baby and the girl's mother to appear in court after the Department of Family and Protective Services said the teenager refused to let it see the infant.
In a court filing, the department said it wants to conduct an "inspection, observation and genetic testing" of the infant to "protect the safety and welfare" of the teenage mother.
The filing states the department has "cause to believe" the girl was married at age 14 to an adult man. She was among 439 children taken in April from the Yearning For Zion Ranch, home to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She gave birth in San Antonio on June 14, two months before her 17th birthday and two weeks after a Texas Supreme Court ruling returned FLDS children to their parents.
Attorney Kelly J. Ellis, who is representing the girl, did not return a telephone call from The Salt Lake Tribune.
John R. Dolezal, attorney for DFPS, said in a Nov. 14 court filing the department believes it is in the teenage mother's "best interest" to "provide her with parenting classes and related assistance in ensuring that she is able to appropriately provide for the care of her child."
It also wants to collect DNA from the infant so it can identify "the individual who sexually abused" the teenager and bar contact between the two.
Willie Jessop, a spokesman for FLDS members, said the girl is afraid the department wants to place both her and the infant in foster care.