CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VIRGINIA — A former Chesterfield baseball coach and business owner was found guilty Wednesday afternoon on a slew of charges involving sex crimes against teens and young adults. A jury of 11 women and one man deliberated for nearly two hours before they found 49-year-old Robert Dodd, who faced 16 child sex-related charges, guilty of:

• 3 counts of Indecent Liberties with A Minor by Custodian
• 3 counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery
• 3 counts of Sodomy

READ MORE HERE

The story of a family distraught over a convicted murderer, released from prison and trying to profit from the death of their loved one drew outrage from hundreds. Irene Avila and her family want to thank viewers for responding so strongly to the story of her daughter Missy. “I never in my wildest imagination thought we had so many people out there that cared about us so much,” she said. Twenty-nine years ago, Missy Avila, 17, was murdered by her friends Laura Doyle and Karen Severson. Her body was found face down in a creek, pinned beneath a heavy log, deep inside the Angeles National Forest. READ MORE  HERE

Stephanie Sloop takes plea deal in Ethan Stacy murder

FARMINGTON — A woman charged in the death of her 4-year-old son has struck a plea deal with prosecutors. Stephanie Sloop pleaded guilty on Monday to aggravated murder and obstruction of justice in the murder of Ethan Stacy. In exchange, prosecutors removed the possibility and the death penalty and dropped charges of child abuse and desecration of a body. READ MORE HERE

A St Louis woman is going to prison after being sentenced Friday to 78 years for the ‘systematic torture’ of her children. Lakechia Schonta Stanley, 34, admitted to whipping, beating and waterboarding her three children and faced 34 felonies, including counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The abuse came to light in October 2011, when Stanley’s then-10-year-old daughter arrived at school with complaints of pain in her arm. READ MORE HERE

Father, 21, arrested on charges of murdering his 3-month-old son

A young 21-year-old father was indicted Monday on charges he murdered his 3-month-old son. John Thomas Cormier Jr’s  arrest comes exactly three months after his infant son was found unresponsive at the Lebanon, Tennessee home he shared with the boy’s mother.  An investigation was launched after the incident, and the case was recently brought in front of a grand jury, which decided to indict Cormier on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. READ MORE HERE

What is a toxic parent?

Toxic means poisonous, noxious, contaminated. The phrase toxic parent was coined to describe parents whose own negative behaviour grossly inflicts emotional damage which contaminates their children’s sense of self. This means parents who abuse their children verbally, physically and/or sexually, as well as parents who are inadequate or ignore their children’s emotional needs. Sometimes these patterns are so established they continue into adulthood, and often are either not recognized or addressed. READ MORE HERE

Toxic family members and Complex PTSD

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Click here to test how toxic your parent is.

PEACHTREE CORNERS, Georgia — A man and his 23-year-old daughter have been arrested outside Atlanta after the man’s infant daughter starved to death and three other children and a disabled adult were found to be severely malnourished, police said Friday. The man brought his 15-month-old daughter to a hospital late Tuesday night, but she was already dead, Gwinnett County police said in a news release. The girl’s appearance led medical personnel to believe she was mistreated. READ MORE HERE

Kevin Peaslee Sentenced For Shaking Daughter

AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine man insisted he is not a violent person, as he was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison for shaking his 6-month-old daughter so forcefully it left her brain damaged, a quadriplegic and unable to see or hear. The baby, now in foster care, must be fed through a tube and is expected to die prematurely. Kevin Peaslee, 22, told the judge his daughter had been extra fussy that December day because she had received shots the previous day. He was home alone with her and playing a video game, according to court documents. READ MORE HERE

Online bullying doubles in a year

The number of children being bullied on the internet has doubled this year, with more than one in three now victims, research suggests. In a poll of 11 to 17-year-olds, 35% reported that they have experienced cyber-bullying – compared with 16% last year. Four in 10 said they had witnessed others being picked on online – almost double the 22% recorded last year. READ MORE HERE

How to Check if Your Child is Bullied Online

Signs Your Child Is Being Bullied Online

190 alleged pedophiles and their IP addresses have been revealed by Anonymous. The pedophiles were gathered from a site that is invisible to everyday web users. The site is called ‘Darknet’. Regular posters were tricked into downloading tracker software, enabling Anonymous to ‘out’ the criminal activity involving child pornography. Anonymous activated ‘Operation Darknet’ to campaign against the child porn groups; gaining a large community support in light of law enforcement criticism. It was also commented upon that ‘…there also was a large amount of resistance from the pedophile community claiming that Tor was their safe haven with messages such as: “We are here to stay. It is our god given right that we can choose to have our sexual preferences for youth….It is the same for the any other porn community. It is not what we choose to become, it is who we are. You do not have the right to censor us.’ READ MORE HERE

Social Media = Anti-Social Kids?

Computer technology reaches the hands of kids earlier and earlier, which means they’re also stepping into the world of social media. One survey found 95 percent of teenagers ages 12-17 use the Internet. And 81 percent of those use social networks. By law, children to be at least 13 years old to join many of them, too. Those early years are key to development as kids learn how to interact with each other and the world. So what is all of that social media time doing for them socially?

“I have Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.”

“I have Instagram and Snapchat.”

“I use mostly Snapchat and Instagram and Facebook.”

“Facebook, Instagram, normal stuff.”

READ MORE HERE:

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PART 2

DEKALB COUNTY, Georgia — A DeKalb man will now face the death penalty for the murder of 9-month-old Ken Darious Edwards Jr. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty on November 12, against Devin Thomas. “Because of the egregious nature of this senseless crime, my office had no choice but to seek the death penalty regarding the death of an innocent baby,” said District Attorney Robert James. Two members of the Bloods street gang were recently indicted on eight felony counts after being charged with Edwards’ death. READ MORE HERE

Prosecutors seek death penalty in baby’s murder

OHIO — An Ohio elementary school teacher and her ex-husband face a total of 78 counts in the rape of the woman’s son. On Monday, Lori Ann Anderson, 50, pleaded not guilty to 25 counts, including sexual battery and gross sexual imposition. Charles Wycuff, 53, who split with Anderson in 2003, faces 53 counts including rape using force, coercion and drugs. He remains in Auglaize County Jail. Anderson was released Monday afternoon, after posting bond. READ  MORE HERE

A North Carolina mother has been arrested and charged with sickening child abuse after allegedly locking her four children away in a room and intentionally starving them to the brink of death. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested Ronika Bell, 28, and her partner, Deron Cuthbertson after she dumped her children aged 10 to six with her estranged husband and their biological father in Florida. Appalled at their gaunt and skeletal features, Joshua Bell tried to feed his kids, only to find they were too starved to swallow having been locked away for six months, so he rushed them to the ER for treatment. READ MORE HERE