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More searches at polygamist compound

— Photo: AP

Under the scanner: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound near Eldorado, Texas, in this file photo. The complex includes an 80-foot tall fortress-like temple shown at the top.

ELDORADO (Texas): Law enforcement agents entered an enormous temple on the grounds of a polygamist compound in Texas, but by Sunday morning they still had not found a 16-year-old girl whose initial report of abuse led to the raid.

“There were some tense moments last night, but everything has remained calm and peaceful and they are continuing their search,” said Allison Palmer, a prosecutor from a nearby county handling the case, early on Sunday.

More than 180 women and children were taken on Friday and Saturday from the compound built by followers of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, but Marleigh Meisner, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services, said investigators were still trying to determine whether the girl who called authorities last week was among them.

Many of the girls in the sect are related to one another and share similar names, said Ms. Meisner. A busload of women were seen talking to law enforcement and a lawyer at a civic centre early Sunday.

Mr. Palmer said Child Protective Services was still trying to identify the 16-year-old, and it was not clear if she was among those being interviewed or was even in the area.

State troopers armed with a search warrant raided the compound on Friday to look for evidence of a marriage between the girl, who allegedly had a baby at 15, and 50-year-old Dale Barlow. Under Texas law, girls younger than 16 cannot marry, even with parental approval.

The search warrant instructed officers to look for marriage records or other evidence linking her to the man and the baby. The warrant authorized the seizure of computer drives, CDs, DVDs or photos. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, headed by Jeffs after his father’s death in 2002, broke away from the Mormon church after the latter disavowed polygamy more than a century ago.

The compound sits down a narrow paved road and behind a hill that shields it almost entirely from view in town. Only the 80-foot high, white temple can be seen on the horizon. It remained lit throughout the night.

The 1,700-acre property had been an exotic game ranch, dotted with many buildings. — AP

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