LONG BEACH, CA — A gang member was sentenced Monday to 155 years to life in prison in the shooting death of 16-year-old honor student Melody Ross. Ross was shot and killed while attending the Long Beach Wilson High School homecoming game on October 30, 2009. 18-year-old Tom Love Vinson was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted voluntary manslaughter.
During the holiday season, please consider donating time, money or gifts to give others a chance to have a wonderful Christmas. Please take the time to explore ways to give back during this holiday season…A little bit goes a long way!! Dreamcatchers for Abused Children is an official nonprofit 501(c)3 child abuse & neglect organization. All donations and in-kinds are 100% tax-deductible. Please consider giving the gift that keeps on giving….Abused children need your help!!
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A CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer is needed to serve as a “Baby CASA” for 1½-year-old “Isabella.” Child Protective Services (CPS) removed Isabella from her mother because the home she was living in – which included five adults and eight children – was filthy and unsafe, with shards of metal and other sharp objects accessible to the little girl both inside and in the yard of the home. Piles of garbage were also found throughout the home. In addition, the mother exposed Isabella to domestic violence when she took the baby to visit her boyfriend, who once assaulted Isabella and also had weapons in his home. The mother had a history of substance abuse dating back to when she was 11 years old, as well. The father was unable to parent Isabella because of several pending criminal charges due to his violent nature.
The Columbia Falls Police Department investigated a report of suspected child abuse Saturday evening, with a 14-month-old child in a hospital emergency room with a traumatic head injury. A worker with Child Protective Services reported the suspected abuse and told police the child could have a brain bleed and has numerous bruises.
Madaline Grace Reynolds needed medicine to treat her cystic fibrosis, but her parents seemed more interested in getting their own prescriptions filled, a tipster told a Kentucky child-protection worker in November 2008. Madaline’s parents always picked up their own pills, including pain pills, but sometimes went months without getting medicine needed by the 20-month-old Lincoln County toddler, according to a state report. READ MORE HERE
Four arrests of Christian pastors in one week on charges of sexual abuse of minors.
An Evangelical church pastor was arrested on December 17 near Orlando FL on five counts of sexual battery on a child. Arnold Mathis (40) remains in custody at a Polk County facility after being arrested at his home in Winterhaven. The alleged perpetrator of the crimes is scheduled to appear before a local court later this week, having now secured a court-appointed defense attorney.
WATERVILLE, Maine — Maine police appealed Sunday for the public’s help in finding a toddler who has been missing from herWaterville home since a family member saw her asleep in her bed Friday night. Federal, state and local officials were helping in the search for 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds.
UNION, S.C. — Union County deputies say a man has been charged with homicide by child abuse after the 9-month-old girl he was babysitting died from injuries suffered in his care. Investigators said the girl was taken to the hospital last week with bruises on her face and died Friday from a fractured skull.
Elmira, N.Y. – Minors who’ve fallen victim to sexual abuse could see the time limits to file their civil suits become longer. New York State law makers say they’re going to push for a bill to extend that limit by five years. The current statute of limitation in New York for bringing civil claims for child sex abuse is five years after the incident has been reported to police or five years after the victim turns 18.
FREDERICKSBURG, Ohio—Members of a close knit Amish community gathered Saturday night to mourn the death of a 15-year-old girl, who was shot to death under circumstances that are shrouded in mystery. David Zuercher, a friend of the family of 15-year-old Rachel Yoder, told Fox 8 News, “Just total disbelief and shock. I just couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a joke, that it was not so.”
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg woman has been arrested after her toddler reportedly wandered into traffic while she was panhandling. The St. Petersburg Times reports Bridgette Patricia Baldyga was arrested Thursday and charged with child abuse and possession of a controlled substance.
Marlon Iverzander Lopez is wanted in connection with allegations of continual sexual abuse of six children over a span of several years, beginning in approximately 1997. A state arrest warrant was initially issued on September 28, 2002, by the Riverside Superior Court in California after Lopez was charged with 30 counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child. He was located and arrested on March 12, 2005; however, after posting bond, Lopez failed to appear for subsequent court dates. A second arrest warrant was issued in Riverside Superior Court on August 15, 2005. Lopez was charged federally with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a warrant for his arrest was issued by the United States District Court, Central District of California, on July 17, 2006. READ MORE HERE
Launched in March of 1998, the CyberTipline offers a means of reporting incidents of child sexual exploitation including the possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of child pornography; online enticement; child prostitution; child sex tourism; extrafamilial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading domain names, words, or digital images. The CyberTipline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Congressionally-mandated CyberTipline is a means for reporting crimes against children including:
Reports may be made 24-hours a day, 7 days a week online at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
DREAMCATCHERS FOR ABUSED CHILDREN, INC. is an official non-profit 501(c)3 child abuse & neglect organization. Our mission is to educate the public on all aspects of child abuse such as symptoms, intervention, prevention, statistics, reporting, and helping victims locate the proper resources necessary to achieve a full recovery. We also cover areas such as bullying, teen suicide & prevention, children\'s rights, child trafficking, missing & exploited children, online safety, and pedophiles/sex offenders.
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