State: Children at Alamo compound were in danger (UALR Public Radio) - A state official says that the six girls removed from the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries complex in southwestern Arkansas were taken into custody because they were in immediate danger.

Arkansas Department of Human Services spokeswoman Julie Munsell says nine girls were assessed at the compound because of allegations of sexual abuse, but six were removed because of safety concerns.

Munsell says officials made the decision because the children were -- QUOTE -- "in harm's way or in imminent danger."

Munsell says the youngest of the girls in custody is 10 years old and the oldest is 17. Munsell says she does not know how many other children were at the complex outside the nine that were interviewed.

Investigators have been interviewing the children from the compound, which was raided Saturday by state and federal agents looking for evidence that children were molested.

Munsell says the state must decide by Tuesday to either ask a Miller County judge to grant the state temporary custody or return the children to their families.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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