SOUTH JORDAN — A family of eight, including six preteen children, pushed their way past a security guard and into the LDS Jordan River Temple Friday afternoon.
No damage was done to the temple, and no injuries to the children, parents or security personnel were reported, LDS Church Director of Media Relations Mike Otterson said. The two parents were taken to the University of Utah for a psychiatric evaluation, and their six children were in state protective custody Friday.
"I can't remember anything like this happening [at a temple]," Otterson said. "The combination of events is really unusual."
According to Otterson, at about 3 p.m. the family came to the temple after it had closed for the holidays and knocked on the front door. When a security guard answered, the family went past the guard and into the temple. Security personnel called police, who searched the temple and found the family.
"There is no damage to the temple, and there was no violence," Otterson said. Nothing was taken from the temple.
The family has not been identified.
For logistical reasons, Otterson declined to give specific details about the amount of security at the Jordan River Temple and whether the guards carry weapons.
Police Sgt. Becky Jensen said the family was from West Jordan and probably members of the LDS Church. None of the family members cooperated with investigators.
The six children's ages range from 8 years old to about 2 to 3 months old.
"We still don't have any information about them," Jensen said. "We don't know why they did it."
Although uncommon, attacks on LDS temples have occurred. In 1996, a man chopped a hole in the front door of the St. George Temple and entered the building before being apprehended by security guards. The door was later replaced.
E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com