NEBRASKA News

Omaha, NE--Experts who work with abused children and their families
say they're concerned with the numbers of children sexually assaulted by
a family member.
"There's certainly a great concern about how sexualized children are
in our culture today," remarks Vickie Peyton from Lutheran Family
Services.
When it comes to the horrible case in Tekamah, Nebraska where a
14-year old brother is accused of sexually assaulting, then strangling
his 4-year old sister, Peyton says this type of violence is rare.
"In an experience like this recent case where a child has died that
is not a common occurrence."
Police say the teen set the house on fire to cover it up.
When it comes to sexual abuse, Project Harmony worked with more than
1400 kids in 2009. More than half of them are six years old and
younger. And what continues to disturb these experts, 26% of the
victims were abused by a family member.
For parents, Peyton cautions there's no clear warning signs of
abuse. So parents have to rely on their gut instincts and ask a lot of
questions. "How are they doing at school? What are teachers saying
about them? What are they noticing about how their getting along with
their brothers and sisters if they have any siblings?"

The Nebraska State Patrol has given itself an
Internet update with a new website, http://www.statepatrol.nebraska.gov.

The patrol commander, Col. Bryan Tuma, says
it was time for a change, given that it's been nearly 10 years since the
patrol launched its old site.

He says the website "is the face of our
agency."

The home page has a map of Nebraska outlining
the agency's six patrol areas, and there are a Quick Links box, news
highlights and traffic fatality numbers.

Tuma says the new site was developed in-house
by patrol personnel.

He says that until the updates for the Sex
Offender Registry, Amber Alert and Missing Persons Clearinghouse are
completed, visitors will be directed to the old site for searches and
information.