KOB-TV: Welfare check at cult compound

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Wasn’t sure how the headline was going to read on this post.  First came word earlier today that convicted sex offender Wayne Bent is fasting…again.  I wondered if that was even a story.  Bent has fasted several times; to include a “final” fast or two.

Had to ask: Was this merely crying wolf?  An effort to generate a lil’ more pub?

Next, I received word that Bent is fasting out of concern for the fate of a young woman within his his flock who’s reportedly been fasting for about a month now.

The young woman is known as Esther.  Her mother, “Hanifa”, has commented on Beyond90Seconds.com about Esther’s condition.  Hanifa’s updates—both here and at strongcity.info—subsequently yielded responses (including many heartfelt concerns) from this blog’s readers.  Those reactions can be found within the comment section of the January 2, 2009 post, Breaking news: Wayne Bent ends prison fast.

Finally, in its 6pm newscast this evening, KOB-TV (Albuquerque) reported that sheriff’s deputies conducted a welfare check at Bent’s Strong City compound today.

That’s a headline.  And here’s KOB’s story:

Welfare check conducted at cult compound

On Monday, deputies visited the Strong City Cult compound in Northeastern New Mexico to check-up on a young woman who’s been starving herself since Wayne Bent was sent to prison, according to Bent’s son.
Bent’s son says the young woman has not eaten since December 30th. That’s when Wayne Bent was sentenced to prison.
The woman, known as Esther, is protesting Bent’s prison sentence for touching a naked underage follower.
Jeff Bent, the son of the cult leader, said Monday that deputies did a welfare check on “Esther,” and then left.
On the Strong City website, Wayne Bent writes that he’s been fasting himself, but he is trying to get the young woman to stop her fast. Bent is also pleading to be released on house arrest so he can be with the girl and convince her to eat.
Bent, according to a prison spokesperson, is in the medical unit at the prison in Los Lunas.
Bent is serving a ten year prison sentence on a conviction for criminal sexual contact of a minor.