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PAGE    23

221ST STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Proprietary to the United Press International 1982

November 10, 1982, Wednesday, AM cycle

ECTION: Domestic News

ENGTH: 279 words

ATELINE: GUILDHALL, Vt.

Z<EYWORD:
nurch

BODY:
Juan Mattatall won temporary custody of his five children Wednesday from a
udge who heard testimony that children in the religious community to which the
Dungsters' mother belongs were whipped.

Superior Court Judge Ernest Gibson III said testimony from former members of
~e Northeast Kingdom Community Church about child abuse in the church
Dmmunity "was a large factor" in his decision.

"I was concerned about the best interests of the children and I thought
.~.ey'd be better off with their father," said Gibson.

During a daylong hearing in the Mattatall custody dispute, several former
_~mbers of the Vermont church community testified children as young as 3 years
were beaten with rods or belts, sometimes until blood ran down their legs.

Mattatall, 40, and his wife Cynthia, 26, are each seeking permanent custody,
~ich will not be decided until the resolution of their divorce proceeding --
Dmetime after April.

Mattatall's attorneys argued his children -- aged 1 to 8 years old - were
~ing reared in an environment where youngsters were routinely disciplined by
-=atings.

The fundamentalist religious sect, which migrated to Island Pond from
~attanooga, Tenn. in 1978, has recently come under the scrutiny of state and
~w enforcement officials.

Vermont social services officials say they are probing various reports of
_leged child abuse. State Police, meanwhile, raided an Island Pond delicatessen
~n by the church group and seized financial records.

State prosecutors say they are checking allegations of tax fraud, as well as
aports that members of the group are unlawfully dispensing prescription drugs.
arrests have been made.


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24
 
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