Full Breakdown
Genetic Disorder Spreads in Utah’s FLDS Community
6/28/2026, 4:56:14 AM
Surge of Fumarase Deficiency in Short Creek
Doctors have identified a cluster of fumarase deficiency cases within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) settlement of Short Creek, Utah. Children born there are about one million times more likely than average to develop the disorder. Researchers have documented 20 confirmed cases among FLDS residents, raising the worldwide total to 33. The condition can cause seizures, facial deformities, and brain damage, and requires lifelong feeding tubes.
Roots of the FLDS Settlement
The FLDS community formed in the 1930s after the mainstream LDS Church and Utah outlawed polygamy. Families seeking to continue plural marriage moved to Short Creek. Today the settlement comprises roughly 7,700 people, most practice polygamy and believe three wives are required for salvation.
Genetic Risk and Carrier Estimates
Local historian Benjamin Bistline estimates that 75-80 % of Short Creek residents trace ancestry to founders Joseph Jessop and John Barlow. Genetic analysis shows that either Jessop or his first wife, Martha Yeates, carried a faulty fumarase gene. Baseline odds are one in 400 million, yet the community’s high consanguinity raises risk dramatically. Researchers project that thousands now carry at least one copy of the gene.
Family Experiences on the Ground
Former resident Faith Bistline told the BBC that five of her cousins have fumarase deficiency; all are disabled, with only one able to walk. They depend on feeding tubes and constant care. Isaac Wyler said residents view caring for afflicted children as a divine mandate.
Official Views and Critiques
Dr Theodore Tarby says residents attribute the disorder to myths about “the water” or “the air.” Gary Engels warned that the community’s faith-based acceptance of the condition hinders health measures and that “they don’t think too much about marrying cousins.” Critics say the devotion impedes genetic counseling.
Broader Implications
The concentration of a recessive disorder in an isolated, interrelated population underscores public-health challenges of genetic diseases in closed communities. It raises questions about balancing religious freedom, reproductive autonomy, and the responsibility to mitigate preventable health crises.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They have their mythology about the condition,” — Dr Theodore Tarby, researcher
- “They think it's something in the water, or something in the air.” — Dr Theodore Tarby
- “They would just assume they've been given a test and they need to pass this test, and it's their lot in life to take care of a child like this,” — Isaac Wyler, former community member
- “They will tell you if that's what God wants for you than that's what you will get,” — Gary Engels, Mohave County attorney’s office investigator
What's Next
The Mohave County attorney’s office continues its investigation into the genetic health crisis, and medical researchers are monitoring carrier rates to assess the potential need for targeted genetic counseling within the FLDS settlement.
