Child Abuse

It has been a little less than year since we have had a deadly child abuse case.

7 year old William Weschke was killed by blunt force trauma to the head. On February 14, 2008 the 29 year old mother & her 19 year old boyfriend told police he had slipped getting out of the tub. He was on life support for two weeks before being pronounced dead, February 27, 2008. Preliminary autopsy showed blunt force trauma to the head. The mother was jailed in connection & the boyfriend was jailed for injury to a child & murder. The mother also has a 6 year old son who was taken away.

February 3, 2009, 3 year old Miracuelos Fuentes was beaten, starved & neglected by his 26 year old mother & her many boyfriends, killed by the most current 18 year old boyfriend on February 3, 2009. She has 8 children, ages 1-11 & a 9th on the way. There are 4 different father's & 2 are in prison. The 8 children had already been taken away for 1 year & given back to the mother after she completed her council sessions & parenting classes.

I could not fathom beating my children until their little hearts stop beating nor starving them to death & would be damned if I let someone other than their father "discipline" them. The part that gets me the most is these two men are obviously too young to be fathers & the women let them do whatever they pleased with them. These two cases are not uncommon & sometimes it is not the boyfriend or stepfather who do the crime. Look at little Quionna Jones, her own father took her life, April 10, 2007. How sick & disgusting!

God gave us these children to love & protect until they go home to Him. Children are gifts. I know at times I say, "I'm going to beat you!", but this puts things in perspective. I would never dare "beat" my children. Nor would I punish them so severely that it were to leave a mark.

I pray for these families that did not stop the known the abuse & the abuser, because I know that they will be judged by God Almighty & I do not want to be standing there as He does. Or maybe I do. I also pray that the little souls are able to rest in peace & for the children who still live on, for they will have to remember this every day, for the rest of their lives, even after we have forgotten them.

Some Signs of Child Abuse

Emotional
* A child who is apathetic (just doesn't care).
* A child who suffers from depression.
* A child who won't take part in play or school activities.
* A child who is often hostile or aggressive.
* A child with a loss of appetite.
* A child who compulsively overeats

Neglect
* Any of the signs above.
* A child who is hungry much of the time.
* A child wandering outdoors unsupervised.
* A child unsuitably dressed for the weather.
* A child who is continually dirty or wearing the same soiled clothes.
* A child who shows up early or stays late at school.

Physical
* Bruises or welts shaped like an object (belt buckle or electric cord).
* Bruises in unusual places (back, eyes, mouth, buttocks, genital areas, thighs, calves).
* Layers of different colored bruises in the same general area.
* "Sock" or "glove" burns on feet or hands or doughnut shaped burns on buttocks (from forcing the child into hot water).
* Small round burns from cigarettes.
* Burns in the shape of an object (iron, fireplace tool, or heater).
* Rope burns on ankles, wrists, or torso.
* Adult sized bite marks.
* Suspicious fractures (doctors and nurses are trained to recognize these).

Sexual
* Withdrawal or anti-social attitude.
* Refusal to undress for physical education or sports.
* Exaggerated interest in sex or "acting out" sex with other children.
* Unusually seductive behavior.
* Fear of intimate contact (hugging or sports)
* Torn, stained, or bloodied clothing.

10 Things To Do Instead of Hurting a Child
1. Take a deep breath. Take a few more. Remember, you are the adult.
2. Close your eyes and imagine you are hearing what your child is about to hear, or
receiving the same punishment.
3. Press your lips together and count to 20.
4. Put the child in a "time-out" chair for a number of minutes. The rule is one minute for
each year of age.
5. Put yourself in a "time-out" chair. Are you really angry at the child or is it something else.
6. Call a friend to talk about it. If you need to, dial 1-800-4-A-CHILD (National Child Abuse
Hotline).
7. If someone can watch the children, go out for a walk.
8. Take a hot bath or splash cold water on your face.
9. Turn on some music. Sing along if you want.
10. Pick up a pencil and write down a list of helpful words, not words that will hurt. Save
the list. Use these words.