Guatemala's interior ministry confirmed on Thursday morning the release of four children from the grip of Lev Tahor, an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect known for its extreme and insular practices, residing in a compound in the Santa Rosa district.
Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez stated that the national police and the local prosecutor's office conducted a raid as part of an operation to rescue and protect minors at risk. Jimenez revealed that excavations at the sect's compound uncovered the remains of a six-month-old infant.
The four children, all American citizens, were freed during the operation. The US Embassy expressed gratitude to Guatemalan authorities via a post on the social media platform X, emphasizing that the safety of American citizens remains its top priority.
Details about the children's ages and identities remain undisclosed due to child protection laws. Authorities expect to transfer the children to the US Embassy, which will facilitate their return to the United States within the next 24 hours. In January, the sect's leader, Aaron Teller, faced arrest on suspicion of orchestrating underage marriages. Throughout 2024, over 160 minors were rescued from Lev Tahor in Guatemala and Mexico.
Operativo "#LevTahor Fase 2" en proceso.
Fuerzas Especiales de @PNCdeGuatemala en apoyo a #PGN rescatan y protegen a 4 menores de edad con reporte Alba-Keneth. #Oratorio, #SantaRosa. 🫡🇬🇹
¡Excelente resultado Viceministra Palencia! 💪🏼@mingobguate 🤝 @HSI_HQ pic.twitter.com/E9wg272m1V
— Francisco Jiménez (@FJimenezmingob) May 14, 2025
Lev Tahor established its base in Guatemala in 2013 after fleeing Mexico and Canada, where members faced persecution for similar allegations of child abuse. In Mexico, a case against the sect has been ongoing since 2022, with accusations of human trafficking and sexual abuse of minors following the rescue of a group of children from the sect in Tapachula, Chiapas.
