Montgomery County, Kentucky – Charles Williams, 62, and his wife Linda Sue Williams, 60, have been indicted with a total of 31 counts of incest after several family members came forward to reveal multiple cases of sexual abuse that spanned nearly 40 years. According to Kentucky State police, an investigation was launched when an eight year old girl in the family told her father she had been sexually abused late last year. After the father relayed the information to police, three more family members came forward to police with stories of sexual abuse by Williams and his wife.

Moundsville, West Virginia – Jessica Williamson, a 23-year-old Moundsville woman was jailed Tuesday after she allegedly allowed her baby’s fingers to be chewed by a rat. According to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, Williamson’s six-month-old son was taken to the emergency room at Ruby Memorial Hospital in December 2010 after a rat chewed on the child’s fingers, causing injuries to each of his fingertips on his right hand. He was treated and released.

New York–A 28-year-old man is currently being held without bail for allegedly sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl four years ago. Timothy S. Birchall, of Ellenville, was apprehended earlier this week by state police who accuse him of engaging in sexual activity with the child at a home in the town Wawarsing.

Texas– A Lubbock police officer was allowed to resign just hours before he was arrested for the sexual abuse of his two adopted daughters, ages 12 and 16. Jason Wesley Hignight, 32, graduated the police academy in June of 2010, after passing an extensive background investigation. The victims were adopted after being fostered by Hignight and his wife. The oldest girl stated that the sexual assaults had been going on for three (3) years, usually occurring on his days off (Tues/Wed) and when the mother was not around. Hignight was undone when she unexpectedly came into the girls’ bedroom and found him exposing his penis to the 16-year-old.

Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse might be the most visible sign, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse or child neglect, also leave deep, long lasting scars. Some signs of child abuse are subtler than others. However, by learning common types of abuse and what you can do, you can make a huge difference in a child’s life. The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal from their abuse and not perpetuate the cycle. Learn the signs and symptoms of child abuse and help break the cycle, finding out where to get help for the children and their caregivers.

The Monett Police Department is searching for a man accused of raping a child. According to a release from the police department, Dewey G. Stewart, 44, was charged with first-degree statutory rape. He is described as having short blond hair, blue eyes, being 5-foot 8-inches tall and weighing about 125 pounds.

Another horrible day for a family, when a 7 week old child is rushed to the hospital not breathing and dies the following day at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Mario Perez, 36, was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse for the killing of John Brian Perez. He told police he had thrown the infant on the bed. When the child was autopsied he was found to have broken ribs and severe brain trauma.

A new door providing hope and opportunity to children who are the victims of physical, sexual or mental abuse opened in Detroit on Thursday. The Kids-TALK Children’s Advocacy Center, 40 E. Ferry, provides forensic interviews and advocacy mental health services to children through age 17. “Whenever we have a collaborative effort like we have here today, then the children are the real beneficiaries,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. “Anything we can do to make kids feel safer is important because no child should have to go through a traumatic experience like this.”

A Lewis County grandmother who admitted restraining her grandson with duct tape has been granted shock probation. Roberta Hobbs was originally sentenced to five years behind bars for each charge of child abuse, to be served consecutively.

Toronto child exploitation officers are taking the fight against sexual abuse one step further. The Commit to Kids public awareness campaign, designed for front-line childcare workers to determine if their children are being sexually abused, was launched Thursday at the Toronto Police headquarters. Chief William Blair said “one of the greatest challenges we face in our society is protecting our most vulnerable members.” The program aims to prevent child abuse by creating policies and procedures that educate childcare workers about the signs of sex abuse.

GENESEE COUNTY, MI–Officials in Genesee County say they are seeing more cases of babies who are the victims of infant mortality and child abuse. This week alone, two baby girls were rushed to Hurley Medical Center after police say they were shaken by their fathers. One of the girls died as a result of her injuries. We spoke to a pediatric emergency medicine doctor who has treated a wide range of cases at Hurley Medical Center in Flint. He says many of these cases are caused by everything from a lack of parenting skills or the impact of a tough economy, which is why he says early education is key.

A teacher at Hickory Ridge Middle School called police after noticing a 12-year old female student with welts, stratches, bruises and swelling on her arm. According to the affidavit, the girl told the teacher her mother, Shenia Martin, whipped her with an extension cord on her arms and legs. The report says the girl’s 8-year old brother told police Martin tied the girl’s hands behind her back and tied her feet together with a sheet before whipping her with an extension cord.

WESTPORT — The foster parents of four children were arrested this week for allegedly injuring a 6-month-old boy so severely he had bleeding on the brain and endangering the welfare of the other young children. Debbie DeCarvalho, 42, and Mario Leone, 38, of 1040 Post Road East, turned themselves in to police Wednesday and were charged with first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor.

A former soldier who was involved in trying to set up a private ambulance service in Shetland has been found guilty of sexually abusing children. Christopher Readings, 44, attempted to rape a 12-year-old girl and carried out lewd acts on a 13-year-old boy at a house in the islands between 2008 and 2010.