Texas Polygamists Sect Update

The top of the main temple is seen on the Yearning For Zion ranch, home of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in Eldorado, Texas, Tuesday, April 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Story Published: Apr 21, 2008 at 8:53 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 6:45 PM MST

By Mary Sturgill

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it's a strange twist in the case of child sex abuse allegations at the polygamist ranch in Texas. Texas Rangers are investigating a 33-year old woman in Colorado who may have sparked the whole investigation by claiming to be a 16-year-old mother at the Texas ranch!

For days now, we've seen the forlorn looking followers of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs.

A Sect member shows the children's room, "This where my daughter slept."

The women have lost custody of more than 400 children and a phone call from this woman might have led to the raid that took the children away. Texas Rangers believe 33-year old Rozita Swinton claimed to be an abused teenager on the secretive Yearning for Zion Ranch. Texas Rangers say they found several items in her Colorado apartment. Items
they say indicate a possible connection between Swinton and phone calls made to authorities about the ranch in Texas and another one of Warren Jeffs polygamist colonies in Arizona.

Author, Stephen Singular explains the groups life, "There's less chance of being noticed out here. They don't believe in society,
they want to get away as much as possible." He just wrote a book on the world of Warren Jeffs called "When Men Become Gods." Singular says Jeffs polygamist group is based on male domination and white racial purity.

We don't know yet what connection Swinton may have to the polygamy cult or why she might have wanted to tip law enforcement to allegations of sexual abuse. But Stephen Singular calls Warren Jeffs as racist as Hitler, and he says it would be incredible if a woman who's black brought the cult down. "If that imploded this entire situation, that would be a fantastic irony for Mr. jeffs, who was so terribly afraid of the black population."

Authorities say even if the original phone call was a hoax they have found more than enough evidence of sexual abuse at the ranch to go ahead with their case.

And today lab workers began taking DNA samples from the children in state custody and the adults. Officials hope the samples, will help sort out the confusing family relationships. The judge in the case ordered the tests at the request of state officials, who have complained that members of the group have continually changed their names ... possibly lied about their ages and sometimes had difficulty naming their relatives. Those tests should be back in 3 to 4 days.

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