NEW ZEALAND–Turning a blind eye to child abuse will now be classified as criminal after Parliament tonight passed a law to hold people accountable. The Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2) creates a new offence of failing to take reasonable steps to protect a child or vulnerable adult from the risk of death, grievous bodily harm or sexual assault, which comes with a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

OKLAHOMA CITY — There is more fallout over the tragic death of a 5-year-old girl. As the criminal prosecution continues, the Department of Human Services has now fired one of its case workers. The medical examiner officially revealed Wednesday that the young victim in this case, Serenity Deal, died of an acute closed head injury. Her father, 31-year-old Sean Brooks, faces a charge of first-degree murder. The little girl was in his care at the time but also in the custody of DHS.

VALPARAISO– A Kansas man is behind bars after police said he tied an adult female relative, his own daughter, to a chair and held her against her will in a Portage motel room. Martin Jonassen, 55, of Elwood, Kan., was formally charged Tuesday with two counts of Class C felony confinement and one misdemeanor count of battery after the 21-year-old relative ran into a U.S. 20 liquor store, naked and begged for help.

An internet troll who posted videos and messages mocking the deaths of teenagers, including a girl hit by a train, has been jailed. Sean Duffy, 25, targeted Facebook tribute pages and posted videos on YouTube taunting the dead and their families. Among his victims was Natasha MacBryde, 15, who died instantly when hit by a passenger train near her home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – A 25-year-old Hendersonville woman is behind bars in Sumner County on murder charges after she admitted to killing her infant twins, minutes after they were born. According to a Hendersonville Police Department affidavit, Lindsey Lowe gave birth to her first son sometime between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

HICKORY, N.C. — A North Carolina woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to second-degree murder in the death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter, a cancer survivor whose prosthetic leg and other remains were found scattered at several sites.
Zahra Baker, a freckled Australian native who also had a hearing impairment as a result of cancer, was reported missing last October in the small town of Hickory.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — A teenage gang member suspected of shooting a 22-year-old pregnant woman and two toddlers in retaliation, killing one of them, is facing 305 years to life in prison. Brandon Taray Barnes, 19, of San Bernardino was captured Wednesday evening after a foot pursuit near the location of the shooting.

SALT LAKE CITY — Elizabeth Smart is using her story to help raise money for child abuse prevention and treatment services. Smart spoke Wednesday at the Family Support Center’s Blue Ribbon Breakfast. The morning of June 5, 2002, changed her life in a way she never could have prepared for. “Having a stranger break into my home and kidnap me at knifepoint and on the threat of death, I thought I was having a nightmare,” she said.

AURORA — A man has been accused of molesting a child of a family that gave him shelter.Aurora police said they were called on Sept. 8 after a woman claimed that Eric White had inappropriately touched her 3-year-old daughter.

Everyone here at the Fort, from the founding administrators to the newest members, is on a journey of healing from abuse we suffered: child abuse, incest, sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, ritual abuse, or psychological and verbal abuse. We feel that all types of abuse are damaging, and we do not minimize any person’s experiences. It is our goal to reach out to as many fellow survivors as we can with compassion, understanding, and encouragement. This healing journey we all are on can feel overwhelming and isolating at times. We offer peer support and resources to help you tackle some of the difficult issues faced by abuse survivors, as well as the opportunity to give support to others.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City police arrested Jacob Parnell for allegedly kicking his son in the stomach for making spelling mistakes at school.According to a police report, Parnell kicked his son out of anger. The little boy told police, “(He) gets very mad at me when I do bad at school or if I talk too much at home.”

AMSTERDAM- Victims of sexual abuse by the clergy want the International Criminal Court to investigate Pope Benedict and three Vatican officials for allowing the rape and sexual abuse of children. The New York-based rights group Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and another group, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), filed a complaint with the ICC alleging that Vatican officials committed crimes against humanity because they tolerated and enabled sex crimes.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — Authorities in San Bernardino are searching for the gunman who wounded a 22-year-old pregnant woman and shot two toddlers — killing one of them — in an apparent revenge attack. The shooting was reported around 7:40 p.m. Monday along the 1300 block of D Street, said Lt. David Harp.

NEWPORT BEACH — A father was charged today with throwing his 7-year-old son over the side of a boat in Newport Beach Harbor. Sloan Steven Briles, 35, Irvine, is charged with felony child abuse and resisting arrest in the August 28 incident onboard the “Queen” cruise ship.