My first reaction to the State’s seizure (abduction? kidnaping?) of 416 children in Texas was negative. The action seemed like massive overreaction based on one allegation. My second was to wonder why events like Waco and Eldorado happen in Texas. My third was to wait patiently for the eventual State abuses to come out as well as some information about the settlement and the possible crime. That has now begun.

A major news service (CNN) reports that some of the mothers want their children back. Like the child molestation cases in the 1980s, the investigators are harming the children. One mother says: “They are learning terrible things from the questions being asked, things that they have never been exposed to.” Another — “We have been persecuted for our religion,” Kathleen said. “We are being treated like the Jews were when they were escorted to the German Nazi camps.”

“A third woman interviewed at the ranch Monday said the children suffered no abuse there.”

One woman recognizes the issue of punishment before a crime has even been charged or committed: “‘I do not understand how they can do this when they don’t have a for-sure knowledge that anyone has abused these children,’ another woman, who identified herself as Paula, 38, told The Associated Press.”

A lawsuit against the State of Texas seems in order.

It will be quite difficult to generate sympathy for polygamists, especially if one or more of them committed crimes. However, it is surely unjust to assume that every person living in a place is a criminal, or a sex abuser, even if one of them has been, or even if there is a prima facie case against one or even several of them.

I have not scoured every detail of this story and do not intend to, but no matter what, I think we still need to ask: Presumption of innocence anyone?