KATELYNN STINNETT MEMORIAL RIDE

Last year, Lanham-Lee, along with these coordinators, organized a memorial ride in Katelynn’s name. On June 19, the second annual Katelynn Stinnett National Memorial Ride will take place.

It is truly a national ride. Last year, riders in 43 states participated all in hopes of raising awareness of child abuse and funds for prevention efforts. Last year’s ride raised more than $150,000 for charities involved in child abuse prevention, $4,000 of it in Lexington, where Katelynn lived.

As you can see, the Katelynn Stinnett National Memorial Ride has already made a difference. It is a noble and certainly much needed effort to raise awareness of a senseless tragedy, a tragedy too often overshadowed by many other conflicts and disasters.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Thousands of reports of child abuse and neglect are not being investigated by the Cuyahoga County child-welfare department now that the agency is screening out a substantial number of complaints to the 696-KIDS hot line.

Nearly 800 Orange County residents landed on the state’s list of child abusers last year — based on investigations that failed to determine whether any abuse actually occurred.

The names of these 792 maybe/maybe-not abusers can remain on the California Child Abuse Central Index for 10 years, and the list can be seen by employers, schools, local police departments, adoption agencies, etc.

An 11-week investigation by the Covington Police Department ended with the arrest of two individuals for child abuse in a case involving a 3-month-old infant.

Facing felony charges for cruelty are Justin D. Baham, 26, 2015 Pine Crest Ave. Apt. 1122, Covington and Victoria Bateman, 21, same address. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be 10 years in prison.

A young mother and her boyfriend were arrested and charged Saturday with the physical abuse of a 19-month-old child.

Ashley Schumm, 24, of Prattville, and her boyfriend G.W. Stubbs, 20, of Eclectic, were charged with aggravated child abuse for the “torture, willful abuse of a child under 18,” according to Chief Deputy Ricky Lowery of the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim was “just a little baby,” Sheriff’s Department Investigator Jeremy Amerson said. “There was bruising on (the child’s) face, chest, back, pretty much everywhere except (the child’s) legs.”

Mannington, West Virginia – Joseph Edward Jones, a 22-year-old Mannington man, was jailed Monday after he allegedly forced a young child to eat a cat-feces sandwich, physically abused him, bound him with duct tape and put him in a dryer.

According to Marion County authorities, Child Protective Workers were called after a four-year-old boy told investigators Jones had abused him in several ways while residing with the family in January of 2008.

Tampa, Florida — It may not have been the easy thing to do, but Tampa Police say what a woman did for two young children in her neighborhood was the right thing to do.

“Her child was playing with these two children, she noticed the bruise marks and they were very concerning to her, so she contacted police,” said Tampa Police spokeswoman, Andrea Davis.

Investigators say the 7 and 3-year-old boys had been left home alone with no food while their mother and her live-in boyfriend went to work.

A Lakeland man beat his 2-year-old stepchild to death with a belt, police say.

Deondray Ashe had almost 30 injuries to his head, face, and upper back, according to police. He died Monday.

KEARNS — Police are investigating what they call “a pattern of abuse” and how it may have led to the death of a 4-year-old girl.

Clinton Hart, 21, has been arrested for investigation of child abuse while his girlfriend, Marina Navarro, also 21, is facing possible child abuse homicide charges in connection with the death of Hart’s daughter Vanessa Hart.

JANESVILLE — A Rock County sheriff’s deputy accused of slapping his 4-year-old daughter remains free on a signature bond for a felony charge of physical abuse of a child.

Neil J. Bennett, 27, of 165 S. John Paul Road, No. 15, Milton, appeared in Rock County Court on Tuesday and was ordered not to contact his daughter without approval from Rock County Child Protective Services.

UK May 27, 2010- A pedophile postman used Facebook and Bebo to groom up to 1,000 children for sex.

After creating at least eight fake ‘profiles’, Michael Williams targeted youngsters he met on his postal routes, on school runs as a taxi driver, and in his role as secretary of a football club.

He dyed his hair different colors to hide his identity and pretended to be a young boy called ‘James’ and a teenage girl called ‘Gorgeous Charlie’ to meet children aged between 11 and 16.

Many victims were tricked into performing sex acts on a webcam but he convinced others to meet him in parks, on beaches and at his home, where he abused them.

Sheriff Dan Staton offered no explanation for the reclassification.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Ten days after a 7-year-old Portland boy disappeared, Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton fought back tears while announcing the search has been reclassified as a criminal investigation.

Until now, Kyron Horman has been considered a “missing endangered child,” a designation that spans a range of possibilities, including that a minor is danger after getting lost.

RIO DE JANEIRO — A man accused of imprisoning his daughter for 12 years and fathering her seven children called their relationship consensual Thursday, while a second daughter told authorities she was also abused by her father and bore him a son.

Melissa Huckaby Gets Life in Prison, Asks for Forgiveness
Huckaby was sentenced for the murder of 8 year old Sandra Cantu whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase in a pond in April 2009.

STOCKTON — A Sunday school teacher who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murdering an 8 year old girl was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday.

Melissa Huckaby, 29, pleaded guilty last month to murdering Sandra Cantu, 8, whose body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond not far from her home.