A former Maryland City youth league soccer coach has been charged with sexually abusing a player on two occasions 4-8 years ago. Eris Murray, from Hanover, has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual offense, two counts of a third-degree sexual offense, two-counts of a fourth degree sexual-offense, sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree child abuse, two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of sodomy.

INDIANA – Police are actively searching for a 56-year-old man accused of molesting a child in LaPorte County, Indiana. James Ashcraft was last seen in the area of LaPorte and Michigan City in northern Indiana. Police believe he may have a beard. Ashcraft is a white male, 5-feet-11-inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. He has grey hair. Investigators reminded the public that anyone who might be helping Ashcraft could faces charges as well. Anyone with information about Ashcraft is asked to call Det. Cprl. Jeff Piotrowski or Det. Michael Oberle at the Michigan City Police Department at: 219-874-3221 (Ext. 1064 or 1065)

TEXAS – A veteran police officer has been arrested for molesting his girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter and asking the child for racy photos of herself. Jesus Gonzalez, 42, a reserve officer with the Elmendorf Police Department, was taken into custody while dressed in full uniform and armed; he was charged with first-degree continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to an arrest warrant, Gonzalez, who has been working in law enforcement for various local agencies for 18 years, began abusing the girl from September until the week before Christmas.

With the power of technology and legal clout, many experts agree that 2017 could be the tipping point in the global fight against human trafficking. An estimated 45.8 million people live in some form of slavery across the world, according to the 2016 Global Slavery Index by human rights group Walk Free Foundation. Yet pressure and awareness are now building, big business is starting to lead the way, new laws are being put in place and potentially game-changing technology is available. We asked experts what they see as the five most important tools in the year ahead to tackle the illegal trade in humans that is worth an estimated $150 billion a year:

MICHIGAN – A 25-year old Michigan man sat on his 5-year-old stepdaughter’s chest and stabbed her to death before setting her on fire because she wanted him to get her something to eat, a court heard Thursday. Thomas McClellan, 25, of Holt, ‘snapped’ on Novemeber 1 when Luna Michelle Younger refused to leave his room until he gave her food, Detective Chuck Buckland said in a preliminary hearing in the 55th District Court in Mason. McClellan is then alleged to have covered her body with bed sheets, poured vodka on it, and set it ablaze in the bedroom.

Abuse and neglect during childhood are linked to poor mid-adulthood socioeconomic outcomes, with greater risk for those who experienced multiple types of maltreatment, researchers reported. According to findings from a population-based study of 8,076 adults in the U.K., 21% experienced one type of maltreatment and 10% experienced two or more types during childhood, wrote Snehal M. Pinto Pereira, PhD, of the University College London Institute of Child Health, and colleagues in Pediatrics.

PENNSYLVANIA – An infant died of starvation days after her parents died from apparent heroin overdoses. Jason Chambers, 27, his girlfriend Chelsea Cardaro, 19, and their five-month-old baby Summer were all found dead in their Kernville, Pennsylvania home on Thursday. Coroner Jeffrey Lees said the parents died about a week before their bodies were found Thursday. He said autopsies Friday confirmed that the infant died several days later from dehydration and starvation.

COLORADO – The death of a Colorado woman and her two young sons found with gunshot wounds inside a van in a Lone Tree parking lot last month was officially declared a murder-suicide late last week. The designation was made by Douglas County Coroner Jill Romann, who determined Adam and Ethan Laber died of homicide by gunshot wounds and their mother, Jennifer Laber, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

MANISTEE, Michigan — A 42-year-old woman is in jail on several charges ranging from illegal entry to assault with the intent to commit murder. Angela Marie Montney was arrested on Tuesday, 10 days after police were called to her apartment on the report of a woman covered in blood outside of 188 Lincoln Street in Manistee. Once on scene, police found Montney with multiple self-inflicted injuries from a sharp object and her 8-month-old daughter who was covered in blood. She had also sustained injuries from a sharp object.

PALISADE, Minnesota – A man is accused of killing his infant daughter by throwing her 12-feet into the air and across his kitchen. 33-year-old John Peterson of Palisade, Minnesota is charged with second-degree murder in the November 18th death of his 5-week-old newborn baby girl, who authorities say suffered head injuries including a skull fracture. According to the criminal charges, authorities were called to the child’s home on the 500 block of Main Street (Aitkin County) after the mother said the girl was having trouble breathing.

A sneaky pedophile who posed as a 15-year-old girl to have cyber sex with children was caught after the FBI took control of his favorite abuse website on the dark web, a court heard. Recluse Alex Glover, 25, posed as ‘Jess’ to access an international online chat-room used by youngsters where he engaged in explicit sexual chats at least ten times. He also downloaded sickening images and videos of children as young as two being abused, the Old Bailey heard. Glover’s interest in innocent children was exposed when the FBI took control of the hidden website, which was used to distribute child pornography around the world.

Vindication for victims and closure for victims’ families are often held out as primary reasons for supporting the death penalty. However, many people in this community believe that another killing would not bring closure and that the death penalty is a disservice to victims. READ MORE HERE

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Missouri Supreme Court will decide on whether the case against Aaron Fisher, who admitted to raping his infant daughter in Miller County, was rightfully dismissed. Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce ruled in late-2015 that Fisher’s constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated, following approximately six years of legal wrangling. Joyce dismissed the rape charges against Fisher, whose daughter was only 6-months old when he confessed to raping and assaulting her.

Editor’s note: The following account is based on a true story involving dozens of police reports, court documents and testimony spanning nearly 20 years. The details and events described throughout this article, including recollections of specific situations, are derived from these records.