Editing House of Yahweh (section)

==Legal issues==
In October 2006, a former HOY member pleaded guilty to injury to a child by criminal negligence for performing surgery on her seven-year-old daughter, which led to her death, according to authorities.{{where|date=August 2023}}{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

On October 16, 2007, Yedidiyah Hawkins, an Elder at HOY, was arrested for sexual assault of his fourteen-year-old stepdaughter. During a forensic interview at the Abilene Police Department's Child Advocacy Center, the child disclosed that the abuse began when she was eight. Documents released by the Callahan County District Attorney's Office following the arrest allege that Hawkins was preparing to marry the unnamed stepdaughter, although the group says that was not true.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/oct/18/hawkins-arrested-on-sexual-assault-charge |title=Hawkins arrested on sexual assault charge : Big Country : Abilene Reporter-News<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-10-22 |archive-date=2007-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023051720/http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/oct/18/hawkins-arrested-on-sexual-assault-charge/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was subsequently indicted by a Callahan County, Texas Grand Jury on December 12, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/dec/12/police-fire-blotter/ |title=APD responds to brief standoff : Police & Fire Blotter : Abilene Reporter-News<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-12-25 |archive-date=2007-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225070532/http://reporternews.com/news/2007/dec/12/police-fire-blotter/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On October 27, 2008, a jury for the [[42nd District Court (Texas)|42nd District Court]] found him guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schoenewald|first=Daralyn|title=House of Yahweh's Hawkins sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault|url=http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/dec/10/house-yahwehs-hawkins-sentenced-30-years/|work=Abilene Reporter-News - December 10, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416182536/http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/dec/10/house-yahwehs-hawkins-sentenced-30-years/|archive-date=April 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Schoenewald|first=Daralyn|title=House of Yahweh's Hawkins sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault |work=The Abilene Reporter - December 10, 2008}}</ref> A motion for a new trial was rejected by a 42nd District Court judge on February 18, 2009. Several other charges are pending until all appeals have been exhausted.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schoenewald|first=Daralyn|title=New trial denied for Yahweh elder Yedidiyah Hawkins|url=http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/feb/19/new-trial-denied-yahweh-elder-yedidiyah-hawkins/|work=Abilene Reporter-News - February 19, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416182540/http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/feb/19/new-trial-denied-yahweh-elder-yedidiyah-hawkins/|archive-date=April 16, 2014}}</ref> On July 29, 2010, the Eleventh Court of Appeals in the State of Texas affirmed his conviction.<ref name=Final>{{cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/eleventh-court-of-appeals/2010/9766.html|publisher=Justia.com|date=July 29, 2010|access-date=March 26, 2024|title=Trial Court Cause No. 6641, Memorandum Opinion}}</ref>

On February 12, 2008, Yisrayl Hawkins was arrested and then moved to the Taylor County Jail on four counts of bigamy. His bail was set at $10 million, later reduced to $100,000.<ref>[http://www.kristv.com/global/story.asp?s=7864515 Corpus Christi, TX | KRISTV.COM |Head of religious sect charged with bigamy<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On October 29, 2009, bigamy charges against him were dismissed after he, following what he believes is the example of the Savior, pleaded no contest to child labor charges. Hawkins was given a fine and probation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Emison|first=Celinda|title=Bigamy charges against House of Yahweh leader Yisrayl Hawkins dropped|url=http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/oct/29/bigamy-charges-against-house-yahweh-leader-yisrayl/|work=Your Abilene Online|publisher=Reporter News|access-date=17 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315063103/http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/oct/29/bigamy-charges-against-house-yahweh-leader-yisrayl/|archive-date=15 March 2012}}</ref>