BBC Sunday, 3 June, 2001, 05:48 GMT 06:48 UK

Idaho siege ends peacefully

Five children have left an isolated house in the US state of Idaho, ending a five-day armed stand-off with police.

The children left the house early on Saturday evening in a large car and they were taken to a hospital in the town of Sandpoint.

Officials there said they were in good condition and had no injuries.

The children were persuaded to give themselves up after negotiators promised them they would try to help them stay together in state custody, Sheriff Phil Jarvis said.

Successful conclusion

Authorities had vowed to wait out the impasse for as long as necessary to avoid a violent confrontation with the children, who were believed to be armed and suspicious of authorities.

"I would term it a total success," Bonner County Sheriff's Sgt Rob Rahn said after the children were taken into custody.

The three girls and two boys had refused to give themselves up, after their mother was detained by police on child neglect charges.

When police went to take JoAnn McGuckin's children into custody, the five set their pack of 27 dogs on the officers.

A sixth child, 15-year-old Benjamin, left the house on Thursday and he has now been reunited with his siblings.

Sister's concerns

The oldest of the McGuckin children, 19-year-old Erina, left home recently and had also been helping police communicate with her younger brothers and sisters.

It was Erina's concerns that led to her mother's arrest.

JoAnn McGuckin is now being held with bail set at $100,000 and is due to appear in court on Monday.

The standoff was believed to have been initiated by Benjamin who is reportedly well-versed in survival techniques.

His siblings, aged 8 to 16, were thought to be armed with an array of weapons, including rifles.

The family was said to have become deeply reclusive since JoAnn's husband Michael contracted multiple sclerosis and died three weeks ago.

Financial hardship

The family had faced increasing financial hardship since their sawmill business went bankrupt over a decade ago.

Bill Walker, a spokesman for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said that the children must be thoroughly evaluated before authorities decide what will become of them.

"We don't know yet if they are all physically or mentally ready to take the next step," he said.

According to Sheriff Phil Jarvis his next priority is taking control of the pack of dogs still roaming the property.

He said that the dogs would be rounded up with the help of experts trained in handling semi-wild dogs and rehoused.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2001