A mother told aviation police she slapped her crying 13-month-old daughter on a flight between Dallas and Albuquerque because the child kicked her, authorities said.

The explanation came after Southwest Airlines flight attendant Beverly McCurley reported taking the child from the mother during Monday’s flight after seeing the child slapped on the face and hearing passengers complain.

The incident has sparked an online debate about when onlookers should intervene in child discipline.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/18/national/main6784762.shtml

DALLAS – A trial began Tuesday in the case of Franzwa Miller, who allegedly beat his baby to death and kept her in a closet for most of her short life.

Mesquite police arrested the 24-year-old in June 2009 after paramedics responded to a call at his Mesquite home. They took 4-month-old Leah Miller to a hospital, where doctors determined she suffered blunt force trauma to her head and ribs.

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http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/081810-Trial-in-Beaten-Baby-Kept-in-Closet

(CNN) — In about the same time that it takes to light a match, tie a shoelace or hail a taxi, 6-year-old Morgan Nick vanished from her mother’s sight.

Morgan was catching fireflies with other children in a baseball field parking lot in Alma, Arkansas, as a Little League game was winding down on the evening of June 9, 1995.

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/18/grace.coldcase.morgan.nick/index.html?iref=NS1

Minutes before her violent death, seven-year-old Nadine Jantjies was playing on a field with the man who has now been convicted of her murder.

Manfred Swartz, 34, told the Western Cape High Court yesterday that he and Nadine had eaten chips, talked and laughed together before he killed her.

He said she ran off to play, and he called her back – then put his hands around her neck and strangled her.

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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20100818124045594C642192

A pastor from Welkom has been arrested for allegedly raping a13-year-old girl that he was supposed to help, police say.

Warrant Officer Malebo Khosana said Thabong police received a complaint that a 13-year-old girl had been raped in the suburb of Thubelitsha. Khosana said that according to the investigation the girl had been bunking school and was being “naughty”.

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http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article609209.ece/Pastor-facing-rape-charge

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A trio of juveniles have been charged with raping a 23-month-old child in Tennessee. Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph says the trio was arrested at about 10:30 p.m. Monday after calling police to report a robbery.

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http://www.wreg.com/news/sns-ap-tn–juvenile-rapecharges,0,661379.story

(AND)

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/081710-three-children-charged-with-rape-of-a-toddler

Wellington, Aug 18 NZPA – A specialist police team set up to fight the online exploitation of children has rescued six children from sex abuse since it was set up last year.

The team had also safeguarded 25 children from potential sex abuse and identified another two victims from seized images, Police Minister Judith Collins said in response to questions in Parliament today.

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http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/online-child-sex-abuse-squad-rescues-six-victims/5/59304

BALTIMORE — A former school police officer was sentenced Monday to five years behind bars for sexually abusing a child.Reginald Watson, 36, was convicted in June of sexual assault of a 16-year-old student at the Masonville Cove Community Academy last year.

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http://www.wbaltv.com/r/24648504/detail.html

PUNTA GORDA: A Port Charlotte man was arrested by Punta Gorda Police and charged with child abuse for allegedly hitting his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.

Punta Gorda Police officers were called to Charlotte Regional Medical Center after a 3-year-old girl was brought to the emergency room with deep bruises to her forehead and cheek.

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http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12992694

LONDON — Police said Wednesday they were investigating allegations of child abuse made by two former pupils at one of Britain’s most prestigious Roman Catholic schools.

London’s Metropolitan Police said two men in their forties had made allegations against teachers and staff at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, west London, which is attached to a Benedictine monastery.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jnm68MB9PkXi45Y5R9soC9brA7OA

On August 13, the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations was notified of a critically injured 7 month old female, from Mechanicsville.

The child had been transported from a local area medical facility to the Children’s National Hospital Center with an unknown life threatening condition.

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http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/19231

Mobile, AL – Steve Giardini used to have a title attached to his name – it was Mobile County Assistant District Attorney. Giardini specialized in the prosecution of sex crimes against children. That title was trashed the second an FBI agent knocked on his door in April of ’09, search warrant in hand. Giardini resigned less than 24 hours later. According to authorities, Giardini is accused of soliciting a 15-year-old girl over the internet to have sex.

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http://www.dreamindemon.com/2010/08/18/former-prosecutor-indicted-on-child-porn-enticement-charges/

The baby was flushed, sweating and crying

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) – A Springfield mother was taken to jail after police rescued her 3-month-old baby from inside a hot car. Police said this was the child’s second trip to the emergency room in 24 hours.

Reports show the child was first taken to the hospital after falling onto concrete pavement when her mother dropped her car seat carrier. The child suffered cuts on her face from the fall.

READ MORE HERE:

http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/springfield/Baby-found-in-hot-car-Mother-charged