Lev Tahor Cult: Court Proceeding Put Off Until January

A court decision on a child services case involving the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor, won’t be decided until the new year.

A judge in Chatham Monday adjourned the hearing until Jan. 10.

Earlier in the day a judge heard from lawyer Iain Mackinnon that the media should be allowed to attend and report the ruling in a child service case involving 14 children belonging to Lev Tahor.

Chatham-Kent Children’s Services opposed the motion.

CTV’s Chris Campbell was at the proceedings, where the judge lifted the ban, stating the matter is of public interest. The judge also ruled in favour of allowing media access to Lev Tahor court filed documents, under the stipulation that names of witnesses and children go unreported.

On Nov. 27, a Quebec court ordered the 14 children into foster care, after the group fled to Ontario amid an investigation into alleged child neglect.

Approximately 40 families with Lev Tahor left Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Que. in November, and relocated to Chatham.