A father, who allegedly had a history of abuse, has been charged with manslaughter after his toddler daughter drowned in the bathtub while he slept in their Minneapolis apartment. Joe Martin, 28, put his 11-month-old daughter Maddie and her four-year-old sister, Allie, in the tub on October 31, 2011 and he then left the room to take a nap on the couch in their living room. Sometime later, the sleeping father awoke to the chilling sounds of his four-year-old daughter – crying out that her little sister wasn’t moving.

AZUSA, CA — Sheriff’s deputies detained three suspects Friday, linking them to the attempted kidnapping Thursday of a 14-year-old girl as she walked down an Azusa street. A man — who has not yet been identified — pulled up to the girl about 1 p.m. Thursday as she walked on Orange Crest Avenue and tried to pull her into the white Nissan pickup he drove, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

JOSHUA TREE — A teacher and church volunteer from Joshua Tree is accused of sexual encounters with several young boys over the past 30 years. Investigators say Caleb Hesse met the majority of the victims during overnight outings with a youth group at the Evangelical Free Church in Yucca Valley. Hesse has volunteered with the group since the early 1980’s.

Parents who introduce their children to alcohol before they turn 18 could be putting them at risk of developing alcoholism later in life. Many adults believe following the Continental model of allowing their children to have a tipple at home under supervision is a good way to promote responsible drinking. However, a study from Yale University has found the younger people are when they have their first drink, the more likely they are to drink heavily as adults with all the health consequences.

A mother whose son was taken to hospital after having his chest stamped on by bullies has been hit with an electronic tag and curfew for removing him from the school. Yasmin Dad, 46, says her son Rahim, 13, experienced a series of violent attacks at the hands of his tormentors over more than a year at the school in Bristol. On one occasion the police had to be called in and she claims the teenager was subjected to racist abuse and threatening text messages. She says that another time she found her son cowering in an alleyway after being set upon. But after Mrs Dad removed Rahim from school to protect him from the bullies, she was hauled before the courts for allowing him to be truant.

A vile rapist who preyed on vulnerable students with learning difficulties has been jailed for 16 years. Paul Tyler, 52, lured students into the back of a white van with blacked-out windows, parked outside a college gates. He groomed some of the students by pretending to recruit them to sell porn DVDs, before locking the door and raping them in the back of his van, a court has heard. He was caught after one victim told staff at East Riding College in East Yorkshire about his ordeal and his van was spotted outside the college. Tyler abused five victims, from teenagers to adults with learning difficulties, and repeatedly raped four of them over a period of 11 years.

Prosecutors in the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case claim to have a ‘great deal’ more ‘highly incriminating’ evidence that could lead to further charges being brought against the shamed former Penn State football coach. A transcript from a behind-closed-doors meeting held in June between prosecutors, investigators and defence attorneys, suggests the state is in possession of additional testimony from a string of unnamed victims.

In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Walter Meyerle, 35, is being tried for raping 15 children from ages 4 to 17 between 1998 and 2011, and attempting to blackmail a 17-year-old girl into having sex with her mother’s boyfriend while he listened. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the investigation began when Meyerle tattooed a 15-year-old girl in exchanged for sex last year.

COQUILLE, Ore.- Tracy Lee Kelso, 50, has been charged with nine counts of sexual abuse, two counts of sodomy, and possession of child pornography. Kelso allegedly abused victims as young as four years old. The parent of one of the victims is outraged. Kelso was released after being in jail just one day because the deputy district attorney didn’t have the completed file to charge him. Now the parents have learned Kelso may be offered a plea deal.

Product recalls are often based on tragic circumstances that can hopefully be avoided for others. I’ve read about several recalls related to children’s products recently, so I thought now was a good time to spotlight Recalls.gov. Recall.gov collects information about recalls in consumer products including, food, cosmetics, cars, electronics, toys, and more from six different government agencies. You can sign up for email alerts with the various agencies and there is even a phone app for those with an Android smartphone.The Biggest Children’s Product Recalls: Make Sure None of These Are in Your Home! Do you own any of these recalled toys or baby gear? Read on to learn how to get these hazards repaired or replaced — so you can keep your baby safe.

Logan Andrew West, 18, was indicted Monday morning in front of Portage County Common Pleas Judge John Enlow for charges of raping a child under the age of 10. West, of 4890 Wyoga Lake Rd., was indicted on two counts of rape — both first-degree felonies — and if convicted, faces mandatory prison time (which could include a life sentence) and he must register as a sex offender in Ohio. West was taken into custody on Aug. 6 and is currently being held on a $500,000 cash bond in Portage County Jail. West is accused of raping his girlfriend’s 15-month-old infant in Ravenna Township, according to the Portage County Sheriff Department.

LAS VEGAS — A former Las Vegas Wranglers hockey player has been charged with nine felony counts in connection with the sexual assault of a teenage girl. According to the arrest report, Michael Brian McBain, 35, turned himself in after the girl’s mother and the girl told police the 16-year-old girl had been sexually abused by McBain between 2008 and 2012. After McBain retired as a player from the Wranglers, he became an assistant coach for the team.

If your child tells you that he or she has been touched inappropriately, it is important to stay calm. Your reaction may scare them or increase their feelings of guilt. Both emotions could discourage them from talking about the abuse openly. Be sensitive to their needs and applaud them for having the courage to tell you what happened. Be a source of support and assure them you will take care of things. Next, immediately cease all contact your child has with their offender.

WOODBURN, Ore. — A 46-year old priest is facing sexual abuse charges after being accused of fondling a 12-year-old boy during a sleepover. Police say the boy was invited to spend the night at the home of Father Angel Armando Perez. The boy told police Perez gave him a beer and they watched a movie.