On June 22, 1984, 90 Vermont State Police officers and 50 social workers raided homes of members of the Northeast Kingdom Community Church in Island Pond. Police removed 112 children from their families over allegations of abuse.
Attorney General John Easton justified the operation by calling the church a cult. "We were taking action to protect children from a cult of people who believe and who make it a tenet of their belief that discipline, including excessive discipline, is warranted," Easton said at a press conference. "And I cannot let people abuse children hiding behind the guise of a church."
Church attorneys countered that the state itself had abused its authority. Judge Frank Mahady agreed, refusing to order medical examinations of the children. The state was forced to return the children and dropped its case against the parents.
Originally reported by WCAX.
Photo: Unseen Histories via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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