Former Christian radio host pleads guilty in child rape

MICHIGAN – A former Grand Rapids Christian radio host pleaded guilty Tuesday to raping an 11-year-old boy in Battle Creek.  John Richard Balyo, 35, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct in the May 17 assault in a Beckley Road motel room. He faces a minimum of 25 years in prison and could be sentenced to a maximum of life. Balyo also faces a minimum of 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in July in U.S. District Court to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. He will be sentenced there Nov. 6 and in Calhoun County on Nov. 10. READ MORE HERE

Man accused of putting toddler in clothes dryer

BANGOR, Maine —According to court documents, a New Hampshire man is accused of placing a 2-year-old boy in a clothes dryer in Bangor last month.  Adam Morton is charged with aggravated assault. The court documents said on Aug. 2 the boy was taken to the hospital with burns to back and arms, as well as burns and blisters on this feet. READ MORE HERE

What Offenders Want You to Know

From PARENTING SAFE CHILDREN – During the summer of 2014, I met with six groups of people who have sexually abused children: Four groups of men who, as part of their probation, attend a treatment group; one group of female offenders in their treatment program; and then one group of men in prison. I participated in these offender groups with the sole purpose of better understanding this crime so I can better equip parents and professionals to prevent it. Nearly all of the men and women were glad to have me participate because they don’t want to offend again and they want you to know how to keep children safe and to speak up on children’s behalf every chance you get. READ MORE HERE

The former president of a Mason County elementary school PTA has been sentenced to 23 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised released after pleading guilty to four child-pornography charges in an investigation that turned up video of him raping an 8-year-old child in a school classroom. David Michael Navarro, 38, was arrested last year after police in Denmark and Australia joined the FBI in tracking down that video and others which had caught the attention of law enforcement officials in those countries. READ MORE HERE

Bodies of 5 missing South Carolina kids found

Camden, Alabama — A district attorney says the bodies of five children missing from South Carolina have been found in rural Alabama. The children’s father is in custody. Wilcox County, Alabama, District Attorney Michael Jackson told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the father is suspected of killing the five children in South Carolina and dumping the bodies in Alabama. READ MORE HERE

5 missing SC children found dead; father confesses

5 Children Found Dead in Alabama; Father Detained

Bodies Of 5 Missing Children From South Carolina Found 

UPDATE: Pictured: Five children ‘killed by their Spice-smoking engineer father before he dumped their bodies in trash bags 11 months after he divorced their mother for having an affair with a neighbor’  

Sonya Katrina Spoon, 24, of Cheverly, Maryland, smiled in her mug shot Sunday after police say she admitted she murdered her two young children.  A 911 call was placed regarding two unconscious children suffering respiratory distress in the early morning hours. Major Cesar Pacheco of Prince George County Police told ABC2that while on the scene, responding officers found evidence of foul play and the children’s mother was detained. “There were bags that were placed over the children’s heads,” said Pacheco. Spoons’ children, 1-year-old Ayden Soon and his sister, 3-year-old Kayla Thompson were both rushed to the local Children’s Hospital by paramedics, but died within hours of the 911 call. READ MORE HERE

The search is on for a Pennsylvania man accused of raping a young girl. The Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday an arrest warrant was issued for Kerwin Goris of S 6th Street in Reading.Prosecutors accuse Goris of child rape, deviate sexual intercourse with a child, corruption of a minor and child endangerment for an alleged incident with a girl under the age of 13 that occurred in Goris’ home on June 18. Anyone with information on Goris’ whereabouts is asked to contact district attorney detectives at 610-478-7171 or county crime alert at 877-373-9913. READ MORE HERE

Wanted: Reading man sought in rape of child

Father fatally shook his 2-month-old son after the boy kept him awake

A dad has been accused of fatally shaking his two-month-old son after the boy kept him awake. Robert J. Kaiser, 32, has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder after the death of the baby was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. Kaiser, the baby’s primary caregiver, had been looking after the boy at his home in Farming Township, Minnesota on August 27 while the baby’s mother was away for the day. He texted her at one point to say that the baby was keeping him awake, she told police. When she returned to the house, she noticed that the boy ‘seemed different’. He was taken to Albany Hospital before he was taken by air ambulance to a hospital in the Twin Cities. READ MORE HERE

An estranged couple recognized as Adoptive Parents of the Year will be in court Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 9 and 10, for their preliminary hearing on 47 counts of child abuse related charges, including failure to seek medical attention after children in their care were bitten several times by a pet monkey and for keeping a child locked in a dog pen. Deidre Matthews, 46, of Jay is charged in Delaware County District Court with 14 counts of child abuse, eight counts of child neglect, three counts of child abuse by injury, two counts of child endangerment and one count of enabling child abuse. She is in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. READ MORE HERE

MOTHER ARRESTED IN DEATH OF DAUGHTER, 11

WAUKEGAN, Illinois — An 11-year-old north suburban girl is dead, apparently the victim of child abuse and her mother is charged with murder. The girl was found dead on Friday in the 300 block of Gillett in Waukegan. What took place inside the Waukegan home is something police say is the most tragic thing they have seen in years. Neighbors wish they could have done more. For now, leaving notes, teddy bears and candles is about all they can do. Raasania Cooley was killed, her mother, 32-year-old Nicolette Lawrence is charged with her daughter’s murder. READ MORE HERE

MADISON, Alabama – A couple failed to appear in court Thursday for their trial for criminally negligent homicide, in the 2012 death of their daughter. Kristopher and Joy Lynn Speigner were scheduled to appear for a bench trial in Judge Schuyler Richardson’s courtroom, but the two didn’t show up. Joy Speigner’s bond has now been revoked, because she has some new charges against her in south Alabama, where the couple now lives. READ MORE HERE

FLINT, Michigan — A former Flint police sergeant is accused of over 16 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct, with 6 of the counts for conduct with children under the age of 13. 66-year-old Lawrence Woods was arraigned this morning at 68th District Court. He is currently being held with no bond. At a press conference today, Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said that there have been four raids on Woods’ former residences. They found hundreds of pictures of child porn, and not “run of the mill.” The pictures were taken at Woods’ former homes, hotels and the Flint Police Department. A total of four locations were used. The incidents happened between 1996 and 2000. The ages of the victims range from 11- to 30-years old, according to Chief Tolbert. There are at least 50 victims. Chief Tolbert is hoping more will come forward. READ MORE HERE

A mother has revealed shocking photographs of her autistic twin boys being strapped in and restrained at a specialist school run by a principal with links to notorious Melbourne cult ‘The Family’. The pictures were taken when her 11-year-old boys were in their primary years and Tracey Hayes is now calling for an education inquiry into the school. The disturbing images are the first photographic evidence of the restraint and seclusion used against autistic children in schools across Australia, which dozens of parents have spoken out about in recent years. READ MORE HERE

Liz Ferro started a non-profit 5-years ago called Girls With Sole. Her organization uses free fitness and wellness programs to empower the minds, bodies and souls of girls who have experienced abuse of any kind or who are at-risk. They team up with Residential Treatment Centers and schools, and bring the programming directly to the girls where they are. The programs help girls heal and learn to cope in a healthy way, and also focus on self-esteem and empowerment for purposes of prevention and awareness. 

Girls with Sole launched in Cleveland, Ohio with just four girls; since then, Ferro has worked with over 800. She partners with social service agencies, schools, juvenile detention centers, and local hospitals to target girls ages 9 to 18. When they sign up, the girls get free running shoes, sports bras, water bottles, a fitness journal, and free entry into at least two 5K races a year. And Ferro does her best to introduce them to a variety of fitness programs so that the girls can find their thing, be it yoga, football, volleyball, basketball, or running.  

Liz was in the foster care system and was also sexually abused by her next door neighbor when she was 8. After she was adopted she was forced to keep it a secret after her mom found out about it. Although she had many dark years – she is now able to help others as a result of her own experiences.

Her book, “Finish Line Feeling” was published two years ago, and it tells her story and how she started Girls With Sole. The proceeds from the book benefit her organization…and it’s her goal to be national by the year 2020! The girls in her programs receive free copies of her book, along with their curriculum and free running shoes and sports bras. The book is also a catalyst for her to raise awareness of the crucial topics of abuse, and having a voice.

Girls With Sole | www.girlswithsole.org

See Girls With Sole on the NBC TODAY Show

Liz Ferro’s Author Page

Purchase “Finish Line Feeling” Here

Read about Girls With Sole on YAHOO Beauty

Girls With Sole – Rocky River, OH – Charity Organization

Liz Ferro (GirlsWithSole) on Twitter

Girls With Sole ‘brings the happiness’ out of girls

Women That Inspire: Liz Ferro of Girls With Sole 

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ABOUT LIZ:

Liz Ferro (Girls With Sole)

Liz Ferro is the author of the book “Finish Line Feeling” and has personally crossed many finish lines. She has completed 32 marathons (2 of them 50K Ultras), 5 Ironman Triathlons and countless road races and triathlons of every distance.  The empowerment gained from sports led her to found the non-profit organization Girls With Sole. Currently she is working on the 50 States For Sole campaign.  She is running a marathon in all 50 States to raise funds and awareness for Girls With Sole programming.

She is the recipient of  the 2011 Classic Woman Award from Traditional Home Magazine;  the 2011 American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland Hero Award;  the 2012 Longines Women Who Make a Difference Award from Town & Country Magazine; and Girls With Sole was chosen Best New Charity of the Midwest Region by the CLASSY Awards in 2012.

Girls With Sole has been featured in Ohio Magazine, Runner’s World Magazine, Traditional Home Magazine, Live Well Magazine, Town & Country Magazine, and Family Circle Magazine.

Liz Ferro is a mom, wife, athlete, motivational speaker, author, and the Founder and Executive Director of Girls With Sole.