Children removed from Union County cult

CULT ARE IN STATE CUSTODY TONIGHT THE STATE CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT SAYS THE TEENS WERE TAKEN FROM THE COMPOUND FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE CONTACT BETWEEN MINORS AND THE CHURCH S LEADER WAYNE BENT BENT KNOWN IN THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS CHURCH AS MICHAEL TRAVESSER ESTABLISHED THE CULT AT A SITE CALLED STRONG CITY ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BENT INCLUDE CLAIMS THAT UNDERAGE KIDS LAID IN BED NAKED WITH HIM I believe that it s our responsibility to investigate all of the allegations and to do everything within our ability to insure that children in question are safe and protected STATE AUTHORITIES SAY A JUDGE WILL DECIDE NEXT WEEK WHAT TO DO WITH THE THREE CHILDREN — WHO RANGE IN AGE FROM 13 TO 16 YEARS OLD THEY SAY THEY DON T THINK THERE ARE ANY MORE KIDS IN THE COMPOUND WHICH MAY STILL HAVE AS MANY AS 70-ADULTS BACK IN 2002 — WE SPOKE WITH THE LEADER OF THE CULT—-WHO CLAIMS HE IS THE LIVING SON OF GOD HE TOLD US THAT HE AND HIS 70 OR SO FOLLOWERS DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE HE SAID THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS AND THE CONSTELLATION VIRGO LED THE GROUP FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO BACK THEN — STATE POLICE WERE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE GROUP TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE NOT PART OF A SUICIDE CULT