NORTH CAROLINA News

What a great Child Abuse Prevention Month it was – the Student Art
Poster Contest, Blue Ribbon Night at the Tourists, Promoting Positive
Parenting at the Asheville Mall, Posters at Biltmore Square Mall, the
Tying of Blue Ribbons at Biltmore Park, the Blue Ribbon
Reception/Awards, blue ribbons and information at libraries, businesses,
print and broadcast stories and editorials, city and county
proclamations, and more.It’s
always wonderful to see our caring community come together to increase
awareness and demonstrate a commitment to protect all children during
Child Abuse Prevention Month. Wouldn’t it be great if every day could be
a child abuse prevention day, and all children could have a safe,
healthy childhood.There
is no excuse for child abuse, yet every day children are being abused –
sexually, physically or emotionally. Often the abuser is someone who is
supposed to love and protect them.Over 5 million children a year are reported as abused
or neglected, including over 100,000 in North Carolina, and almost 4,000
in Buncombe County. One in every five children will experience abuse
and half will be under six years of age. Child abuse cuts across all
lines and knows no boundaries. Behind each of these numbers is a face, a
child, our future.We
often picture child abuse as physical maltreatment in a low-income
family lacking parenting skills, overwhelmed and stressed out, perhaps
with substance abuse issues. At Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc.
however, we see good, caring people who never expected a child to
experience abuse.A
friend, Betsy Petersen, wrote a very courageous, poignant book,
“Dancing with Daddy,” describing her childhood sexual abuse by her
father, a prominent physician and pillar of the community. And, former
Miss America Marilyn Van Derbur described her years of childhood sexual
abuse by her father, a Denver millionaire, in “Miss America by Day.”Regrettably, it has
been happening for a long time. The Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals long predates any protection for children. Many
states didn’t have child abuse reporting laws until the late ‘60s. In
1974 Congress enacted the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
Child Advocacy Centers came along in the mid 1980s, and in Asheville the
agency now known as Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. was founded
by a group of concerned citizens in 1990.
But there is still much to do. The “Kids Count Data Book” from the
Casey Foundation, recently ranked North Carolina 41st of the 50 states
in child well being. If we were 41st in economic development or tourism,
there would be public outcry and a call to do something immediately.The “Children’s Index”
from the Child Advocacy Institute, gave the state D’s and F’s in child
abuse and neglect, stating that if it were a communicable disease, it
would be declared an epidemic in North Carolina.The cost of child abuse in the US is $250 million a
day or $95 billion yearly. This translates to the equivalent of $1,500 a
year per family, yet we only spend $1 a year per family on prevention.It’s not only the cost
in dollars, but the emotional cost. With the overwhelming trauma of
abuse, the ability to respond effectively to daily life may be affected –
boundaries blurred appropriate/inappropriate behavior may be confused,
and feelings may be numbed. Folks who have experienced abuse may not
have the luxury of thinking before acting and may live at times in the
emotional center of their brains because that is what they had to do as
children to survive.Child
abuse is a preventable tragedy. That is why it’s so critical to try to
stop the hurt before it starts, to increase awareness, to provide
prevention programs, and to provide counseling for children who have
experienced abuse so the hurt can stop and the hope and healing can
begin.With
increased awareness, more folks are teaching their children personal
safety skills, are establishing open communication, educating themselves
on healthy child development and healthy parenting, are mentoring, are
becoming guardian ad litems, are reporting abuse, are supporting
children’s agencies and are doing a myriad of other things that support
the well-being of children and strong families.Working together, we can make a difference. Hopefully
one day all children can have a safe, healthy childhood and the
opportunity to reach their potential. That would be the best of all
possible worlds.Bill
McGuire is director of Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. For more
information call 254-2000, email childadvocacy@buncombe.main.nc.us
or go to www.childabusepreventionservices.org or write to 50
S. French Broad Avenue, Suite 152, Asheville, NC 28801

The father of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis is expected to return to Cumberland County next week to speak at an awareness program in remembrance of his slain daughter.



Bradley Lockhart and the nonprofit group GOTDAD will serve as hosts of a day of activities and events scheduled for June 12 and aimed at bringing awareness to violence and sexual crimes against children.

The event is being called Shaniya Speaks Day, Keeping the Promise. It will be at the John D. Fuller Sr. Recreational Complex on Old Bunce Road.

Joe McGee is founder of GOTDAD - Giving Opportunities Through Dedication And Devotion - a nonprofit organization that helps busy fathers figure out how to spend more time with their children. He said the day was chosen because Shaniya would have celebrated her sixth birthday on June 14.

"Keeping the promise was the message from Brad at her funeral," McGee said. "We want to keep our pledge and take Shaniya's message to the streets." Lockhart, 39, who moved to Alabama a couple of months after his daughter's death, is expected to be in town for the events.

Shaniya was reported missing on the morning of Nov. 10 by her mother, Antoinette Davis.

Video surveillance at a Sanford motel recorded 29-year-old Mario Andrette McNeill getting in an elevator with Shaniya in his arms.

Six days later, her body was found in woods off Walker Road in Lee County.

Davis, 25, is out on bond awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution after investigators say she sold her child into sex slavery to pay off a debt.

McNeill is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape of a child. He is being held at Central Prison in Raleigh awaiting trial.

McGee said he doesn't want to open old wounds. Instead, he wants to bring the community closer through awareness and empowerment.

The number of child abuse and neglect reports were up 46 percent in Cumberland County for March, according to data from the county Department of Social Services.

"A sad thing is happening in our community," McGee said. "We need to come together to discuss how we can stop this from happening to our children." The event will include live bands and guest speakers, information booths on health issues, rape prevention, child abuse and home safety.

"We want to show people that they don't have to depend on the system for support," McGee said. "We need to support each other." The program, where Lockhart will speak, is at 4 p.m. Lockhart's message will be of reinforcement and personal responsibility, McGee said.

Lockhart has established a foundation, Shaniya Speaks.org, with the money raised in the wake of Shaniya's death. It is dedicated to raising awareness about child abuse.

"People are too quick to mind their own business in our society," McGee said. "It's time we started being our brother's keeper again."

I am doing research into the child abuse deaths in North Carolina, that had previous or current contact at the time of the child's death. I come across this site a lot in my research and thought that maybe you all could help me out. I am gathering the research to try and change the laws to better protect child, and to achieve full accountability and disclosure of DSS when they fail in their duties to protect children.

I also write news stories about these deaths at Examiner com to raise awareness of this situation.

If you know of any cases like these, please contact me here or at my email nixonlisa70 at yahoo.com

Thank you.

North Carolina Medical Examiner Wants All New Officers to Get Specialized Training For Investigations at the Scene of Child Fatalities.
From The Charlotte Observer

By Lisa Hammersly and Franco Ordoñez

All of North Carolina’s new law enforcement officers should be required to undergo specialized training on child death scene investigations, the state’s medical examiner and a legislative task force say.

More:
http://ten8.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/north-carolina-medical-examiner-wants-all-new-officers-to-get-specialized-training-for-investigations-at-the-scene-of-fatalities