Texas seeks permanent care for child bride

ELDORADO, Texas, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Texas authorities say they want permanent conservatorship of a 14-year-old girl said to be the child bride of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs.

But the girl's mother, Barbara Jessop, says she wants a jury to ultimately decide who gets custody of all three of her children and has filed a demand notice in an Eldorado, Texas, court, seeking a jury trial, the Deseret Morning News reported Tuesday.

Jessop's demand was filed in anticipation of a permanency hearing scheduled for this week in San Angelo, Texas, where state child welfare authorities were set to give a status report to a judge on the girl's foster care progress.

Authorities say they believe the girl was married to Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, at age 12. The newspaper said she was placed back into foster care in August after a judge ruled Jessop failed to protect her from abuse.

Now, Texas child welfare workers are seeking "permanent managing conservatorship" over the girl while keeping her in foster care for the time being, the Deseret News said.

Jeffs is serving 10 years to life on charges that include child sexual conduct and incest.