TULSA, OK — The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has paid about $3.4 million since 2005 to settle lawsuits for child deaths and neglect, according to a newspaper report. The Tulsa World reported (http://bit.ly/p3nfHw ) Sunday said there have been 24 payouts ranging from $15,000 to settle a civil rights violations lawsuit by parents whose children were placed in emergency custody to $700,000 for the death of a child at a child care center.

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http://www.chron.com/news/article/Okla-DHS-pays-3-4M-to-settle-lawsuits-since-2005-2176724.php

ST. PETERSBURG – Authorities in Pinellas County have arrested a 23-year-old St. Petersburg man in connection with an August child abuse case. Rother Lee Pierce was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Saturday night on one count of aggravated child abuse. He is being held on a bond of $20,000.

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http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/pinellas/child_abuse_arrest_st_petersburg091711

CHICAGO — An increase in child abuse, mostly in infants, is linked with the recent recession in new research that raises fresh concerns about the impact of the nation’s economic woes. The results are in a study of 422 abused children from mostly lower-income families, known to face greater risks for being abused, and the research involved just 74 counties in four states. But lead author Dr. Rachel Berger of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh said the results confirm anecdotal reports from many pediatricians who’ve seen increasing numbers of shaken baby cases and other forms of brain-injuring abuse.
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http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=348&NewsID=1006124&CategoryID=20366&on=1

SAN CLEMENTE, CA– A children’s book author, already charged with molesting a 12-year old girl, is now accused of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl. In the most recent case, Michael William Snyder, 44, is charged with felony oral copulation of a child 10 years or younger and a lewd act upon a child under 14, with a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing a sexual offense on more than one victim.

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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-child-molester-book-author-charged,0,519046.story

Statistics & Research

The Children’s Bureau provides State and national data on adoption and foster care, child abuse and neglect, and child welfare. The Children’s Bureau also funds research in collaboration with other organizations. Children’s Bureau research on child abuse and neglect includes the annual Child Maltreatment reports. Child Maltreatment Annual Reports: Reports from the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data Systems – National statistics on child abuse and neglect.

READ MORE HERE:

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/index.htm

A former Osceola County deputy sheriff has been found guilty of several child-sex-related charges. A jury Wednesday found Chad Lakey, 35, guilty of sexual activity with a child, attempted sexual activity with a child, child abuse and battery.

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http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-09-15/news/os-osceola-deputy-convicted-sex-abuse-20110915_1_deputy-sheriff-sexual-activity-chad-lakey

CHURCH HILL — A Kingsport woman accused of “excessive” spanking of her 19-month-old son in Church Hill in July will be arraigned on one count of child abuse next week in Hawkins County Sessions Court. Allison Marie Blevins, 28, 332 Claremont Road, Kingsport, was originally set for arraignment Monday, but that case was reset until Sept. 19.  Blevins remains lodged in the Hawkins County jail on $35,000 bond.

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http://www.timesnews.net/article/9035773/kingsport-mom-charged-with-child-abuse-for-39excessive39-spanking

ASHEVILLE, NC —Asheville Police have charged a man and a woman after they said a sexual encounter turned into a kidnapping and case of child abuse. Lieutenant Wallace Welch of the Asheville Police Department said that officers responded to Deaverview Apartments just after midnight in reference to a reported kidnapping of a three year old child. Welch states that officers met with 36 year old Gerri Rae Carpenter who told officers that she had met a man named “Phil” for a blind date and he had driven off with her child.

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http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/sep/13/police-sexual-encounter-leads-kidnapping-child-abu-ar-2404440/

Ignoring child abuse becomes a criminal offence

NEW ZEALAND–Turning a blind eye to child abuse will now be classified as criminal after Parliament tonight passed a law to hold people accountable. The Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2) creates a new offence of failing to take reasonable steps to protect a child or vulnerable adult from the risk of death, grievous bodily harm or sexual assault, which comes with a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10752053

REPORT: Serenity Deal autopsy report – GRAPHIC

OKLAHOMA CITY — There is more fallout over the tragic death of a 5-year-old girl. As the criminal prosecution continues, the Department of Human Services has now fired one of its case workers. The medical examiner officially revealed Wednesday that the young victim in this case, Serenity Deal, died of an acute closed head injury. Her father, 31-year-old Sean Brooks, faces a charge of first-degree murder. The little girl was in his care at the time but also in the custody of DHS.

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http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-dhs-worker-fired-after-child-abuse-death-20110915,0,5913105.story

The 21-year old said her father had been having sex with her for years

VALPARAISO– A Kansas man is behind bars after police said he tied an adult female relative, his own daughter, to a chair and held her against her will in a Portage motel room. Martin Jonassen, 55, of Elwood, Kan., was formally charged Tuesday with two counts of Class C felony confinement and one misdemeanor count of battery after the 21-year-old relative ran into a U.S. 20 liquor store, naked and begged for help.

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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/article_4fa1aa57-035a-5d48-9c7a-3c3af1dfaf33.html#ixzz1Y8v84riI

(and)

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/crime/martin-jonassen-portage-indiana-kidnapped-daughter-naked-liquor-store-motel-room-20110913

Internet troll jailed after mocking deaths of teenagers

Sean Duffy targeted Facebook tribute pages and posted videos on YouTube taunting the dead victims and their families

An internet troll who posted videos and messages mocking the deaths of teenagers, including a girl hit by a train, has been jailed. Sean Duffy, 25, targeted Facebook tribute pages and posted videos on YouTube taunting the dead and their families. Among his victims was Natasha MacBryde, 15, who died instantly when hit by a passenger train near her home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/13/internet-troll-jailed-mocking-teenagers

Woman Pleads Guilty in Death of Step-Daughter

HICKORY, N.C. — A North Carolina woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to second-degree murder in the death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter, a cancer survivor whose prosthetic leg and other remains were found scattered at several sites. Zahra Baker, a freckled Australian native who also had a hearing impairment as a result of cancer, was reported missing last October in the small town of Hickory.

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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-zahra-baker-guilty-plea,0,5303082.story