Jewish sect Lev Tahor flees Quebec amid child neglect allegations

Authorities in Quebec are expected to meet today to decide what to do about an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect that left Quebec last week and moved to southern Ontario.

Quebec social services say they're investigating members of the group, known as Lev Tahor, for alleged child neglect.

Some of the families were due to appear before a Quebec judge last week for a hearing to ensure child welfare officials had regular access to their children.

But the group, which totals about 200 people, packed up and moved to Chatham.

The director of youth protection for Quebec's Laurentians region says officials have concerns about the children's health, their hygiene and their home-schooling.

Denis Baraby says the children aren't capable of doing basic math.

But he says child welfare officials haven't reached the point of trying to remove any children from the community.

A spokesman for Lev Tahor, Nachman Helbrans, denies any children are being neglected.