A woman who has refused to eat since religious leader Wayne Bent was sentenced to prison in late December has been returned to her home.

Aquinnah O'Keefe, who goes by the name Esther, was taken from the Strong City cult compound near Des Moines late last month. Deputies showed Bent's son, Jeff, a court order that allowed for her removal from the property.

It is not clear if the woman is still fasting.

O'Keefe was returned to the compound by her half-sister, Lorraine Irwin. Jeff Bent said recently that Irwin was listed as either a conservator or guardian for O'Keefe, which could allow Irwin to make decisions on her half-sister's behalf.

But the group's Web site said Irwin's conservatorship over O'Keefe may have dissolved.

You can read the group's Web postings here.

Read more about this story in the Sunday Journal.