A Hot Mess!

This is why so many local governments - who know good and well this abuse, exploitative and illegal activity was/is occurring - were turning a blind eye. This is going to be a costly, legal quagmire.

Gary Banks, a lawyer representing the state Children's Protective Services, told the judge the state believes "there is a systematic process at the ranch near Eldorado at which children were exploited and sexually abused."

The children were rounded up and placed in temporary custody in a raid that began April 3 after a domestic violence hot line recorded a complaint from a 16-year-old girl. She said she was physically and sexually abused by her 50-year-old husband.

Walther was clearly struggling with how to organize what is believed to be the largest child-custody hearing in Texas history, and perhaps in the nation. Texas bar officials say more than 350 attorneys from across the state have volunteered to represent the children for free. Child welfare laws require each child in state custody to have an attorney.

"If I gave everybody five minutes, that would be 70 hours," Walther said, stressing a need for efficiency as well as the protection of the children's rights.

Still, I would like for our frickin' National Guard (or somebody) to raid every last one of those "compounds" and do exactly what Texas is doing. It has to happen for the sake of the children.