Tally of kids in polygamist sect grows to 401 -- how does this happen?

The news of the polygamist ranch in Texas is a few days old. But the fact that 401 children were part of this religious sect still baffles me. I haven't seen a breakdown on their ages yet, but the photos say it all. It's so tragic that even while the sect's leader, Warren Jeffs, sits in jail for incest and other sexual misconduct with minors, he still is wreaking havoc on the lives of other kids and women through this ranch.

Reports indicate the children aren't saying what happened within the walls of this so-called retreat. You have to wonder how long it will take for them to feel comfortable enough to talk about their lives. Or how they'll react if they are pulled from their families.

Here's my other question...how does something like this happen in a town without anyone reporting it? I'd like to think that if a compound with 400 kids and more than 100 women were located in a nearby city, residents would notice and report it, no?

What's your take?