US Politics | Inside polygamous town Short Creek where inbreeding sparked ‘genetic disaster’ & left people unable to walk or talk
A REMOTE town in America is facing a ...genetic disaster... caused by inbreeding that has left residents with severe physical disabilities. For generations, Short Creek in Arizona, founded in 1913, has been a refuge for people who practice polygamy. 
NBCShort Creek, Arizona has long been a refuge for people who practice polygamy '/ ' 
44 Blue Productions/Discovery+A family that lives in Short Creek, founded in 1913 '/ ' 
44 Blue Productions/Discovery+Historian Benjamin Bistline said 75 to 80 percent of people in Short Creek are blood relatives of the town's founding patriarchs '/ ' The radical sect known as the FLDS, or Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, once had near total control over the town. The church believes that the more wives and children a man has, the closer he is to God \- therefore, the greater his chances of salvation after death. But the town has been plagued by accusations of horrific abuse and mysterious deaths and suicides \- and faces a huge genetic crisis from decades of inbreeding. In polygynous communities, it doesn't take long before everyone is related. Read more on Short Creek 
BREAKING FREE I was held captive by a Mormon cult leader - my daring escape revealed 
DISTURBING SECT Inside mystery deaths and suicides that plagued Warren Jeffs' FLDS cult Problems first came to light in 1990 when doctor Theodore Tarby was tasked with treating a boy with unusual facial features, including a prominent forehead, low-set ears, widely spaced eyes and a small jaw. The 10-year-old was also severely physically and mentally disabled. Tarby was stumped after running dozens of tests \- until a specialist finally diagnosed the boy with fumarase deficiency. Soon Tarby diagnosed a total of eight new cases in children aged from 20 months to 12 years old \- and she was shocked to find they were all from Short Creek. Most read in The US Sun IN THE RED Serena Williams' stepmom's debts revealed amid crumbling childhood home battle SKIMMING IT I'm plus-size with 38DDD boobs …I tried the viral Kim Kardashian Skims bodysuit HIDDEN DANGER Family horrified by spotting deadly beast hidden in photo… can you find it? BIG MOVE DWTS pro Cheryl 'gives producers an ultimatum' after judge Len quits show DARK WHISPERS Chilling words of rapist in case 'linked to JonBenet Ramsey' murder revealed FOUR-WARNED I am a time traveller from 2671 - here are 4 dates 'big things' will happen The disease is rare because it's recessive – it only develops if a person inherits two faulty copies of the gene, meaning both parents need to carry it. In a worrying development, Tarby discovered the gene was in the genetic makeup of thousands in Short Creek because of decades of inbreeding. In the polygynous community, the likelihood of being born with fumarase deficiency is reportedly over a million times above the global average. ...We have and will have a continual output of children with this condition,... Tarby previously said. Back in 2007, local historian Benjamin Bistline told Reuters that 75 to 80 percent of people in Short Creek are blood relatives of the town's founding patriarchs \- Joseph Jessop and John Barlow. And the fumarase deficiency gene has been traced to Jessop and his first wife, Martha Yeates, who had 14 children. It means thousands of people in Short Creek are thought to be going about their daily lives with a lethal recessive mutation in their genes. Fumarase deficiency has no cure and only the devastating symptoms can be treated and managed. Faith Bistline, who has five cousins with the disease, told the BBC: ...They are completely physically and mentally disabled.... Faith said they all need feeding tubes and need care 24 hours a day. Mark Stoneking, a geneticist, said: ...With polygyny you're decreasing the overall genetic diversity because a few men are having a disproportionate impact on the next generation. ...Random genetic mutations become more important.... The town has also been plagued by accusations of abuse. We have and will have a continual output of children with this condition Theodore Tarby Warren Jeffs became president and prophet of the church in 2002 and he doubled down on the rules of the isolated town \- banning kids from going to public school and putting walls up around homes. So-called God Squads also patrolled the streets. In 2011, Jeffs was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two of his child brides. Several others have come forward in the years since to accuse Jeffs of child sex abuse, including his children. One of his daughters came forward in 2018 to say he sexually assaulted her from age eight and forced her to watch pornography with him. After Jeffs was put behind bars, the Arizona town has appeared to have begun making some changes. The birth rate has reportedly dropped dramatically as people seem to have more say over the number of children they have. And tourists have started flocking to the area \- just two hours from Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon \- as the local airport has expanded, and a brewery and a new grocery store have popped up. The local council is now rushing to catch up with the changing nature of the community as the FLDS church has less control over the town. Cheyenne Oldroyd, the manager of Water Canyon Resort, a winery offering luxury accommodation, said the community has seen ...so much growth... in recent years. ...Within the last three to five years we've just seen so much growth, so much healing for everyone in the community and so much more of a welcoming presence for anyone that wants to come and visit this area,... she said. ...Because they know how beautiful this area is and they want to share it too.... Read More on The US Sun 
BIDEN TIME Inside Naomi Biden's glam White House wedding in first glimpse of dress & decor 
REMEMBER THE TIME I was a zombie in Thriller & surprised by what Michael Jackson was like But resident Esther Bistline, who still belongs to the church, said: "The businesses have changed. And they're not owned by the FLDS anymore. ...And it's really hard to get a job and work for somebody that you feel like has taken away from you....
NBCShort Creek, Arizona has long been a refuge for people who practice polygamy '/ ' 44 Blue Productions/Discovery+A family that lives in Short Creek, founded in 1913 '/ ' 44 Blue Productions/Discovery+Historian Benjamin Bistline said 75 to 80 percent of people in Short Creek are blood relatives of the town's founding patriarchs '/ ' The radical sect known as the FLDS, or Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, once had near total control over the town. The church believes that the more wives and children a man has, the closer he is to God \- therefore, the greater his chances of salvation after death. But the town has been plagued by accusations of horrific abuse and mysterious deaths and suicides \- and faces a huge genetic crisis from decades of inbreeding. In polygynous communities, it doesn't take long before everyone is related. Read more on Short Creek BREAKING FREE I was held captive by a Mormon cult leader - my daring escape revealed DISTURBING SECT Inside mystery deaths and suicides that plagued Warren Jeffs' FLDS cult Problems first came to light in 1990 when doctor Theodore Tarby was tasked with treating a boy with unusual facial features, including a prominent forehead, low-set ears, widely spaced eyes and a small jaw. The 10-year-old was also severely physically and mentally disabled. Tarby was stumped after running dozens of tests \- until a specialist finally diagnosed the boy with fumarase deficiency. Soon Tarby diagnosed a total of eight new cases in children aged from 20 months to 12 years old \- and she was shocked to find they were all from Short Creek. Most read in The US Sun IN THE RED Serena Williams' stepmom's debts revealed amid crumbling childhood home battle SKIMMING IT I'm plus-size with 38DDD boobs …I tried the viral Kim Kardashian Skims bodysuit HIDDEN DANGER Family horrified by spotting deadly beast hidden in photo… can you find it? BIG MOVE DWTS pro Cheryl 'gives producers an ultimatum' after judge Len quits show DARK WHISPERS Chilling words of rapist in case 'linked to JonBenet Ramsey' murder revealed FOUR-WARNED I am a time traveller from 2671 - here are 4 dates 'big things' will happen The disease is rare because it's recessive – it only develops if a person inherits two faulty copies of the gene, meaning both parents need to carry it. In a worrying development, Tarby discovered the gene was in the genetic makeup of thousands in Short Creek because of decades of inbreeding. In the polygynous community, the likelihood of being born with fumarase deficiency is reportedly over a million times above the global average. ...We have and will have a continual output of children with this condition,... Tarby previously said. Back in 2007, local historian Benjamin Bistline told Reuters that 75 to 80 percent of people in Short Creek are blood relatives of the town's founding patriarchs \- Joseph Jessop and John Barlow. And the fumarase deficiency gene has been traced to Jessop and his first wife, Martha Yeates, who had 14 children. It means thousands of people in Short Creek are thought to be going about their daily lives with a lethal recessive mutation in their genes. Fumarase deficiency has no cure and only the devastating symptoms can be treated and managed. Faith Bistline, who has five cousins with the disease, told the BBC: ...They are completely physically and mentally disabled.... Faith said they all need feeding tubes and need care 24 hours a day. Mark Stoneking, a geneticist, said: ...With polygyny you're decreasing the overall genetic diversity because a few men are having a disproportionate impact on the next generation. ...Random genetic mutations become more important.... The town has also been plagued by accusations of abuse. We have and will have a continual output of children with this condition Theodore Tarby Warren Jeffs became president and prophet of the church in 2002 and he doubled down on the rules of the isolated town \- banning kids from going to public school and putting walls up around homes. So-called God Squads also patrolled the streets. In 2011, Jeffs was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two of his child brides. Several others have come forward in the years since to accuse Jeffs of child sex abuse, including his children. One of his daughters came forward in 2018 to say he sexually assaulted her from age eight and forced her to watch pornography with him. After Jeffs was put behind bars, the Arizona town has appeared to have begun making some changes. The birth rate has reportedly dropped dramatically as people seem to have more say over the number of children they have. And tourists have started flocking to the area \- just two hours from Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon \- as the local airport has expanded, and a brewery and a new grocery store have popped up. The local council is now rushing to catch up with the changing nature of the community as the FLDS church has less control over the town. Cheyenne Oldroyd, the manager of Water Canyon Resort, a winery offering luxury accommodation, said the community has seen ...so much growth... in recent years. ...Within the last three to five years we've just seen so much growth, so much healing for everyone in the community and so much more of a welcoming presence for anyone that wants to come and visit this area,... she said. ...Because they know how beautiful this area is and they want to share it too.... Read More on The US Sun BIDEN TIME Inside Naomi Biden's glam White House wedding in first glimpse of dress & decor REMEMBER THE TIME I was a zombie in Thriller & surprised by what Michael Jackson was like But resident Esther Bistline, who still belongs to the church, said: "The businesses have changed. And they're not owned by the FLDS anymore. ...And it's really hard to get a job and work for somebody that you feel like has taken away from you....
No comments: