Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Dr. Suellen Reed, superintendent of public instruction for Indiana, was guest speaker at the fourth annual Child Abuse Prevention Council of Kosciusko County benefit luncheon Monday at Mosaique Restaurant.
Proceeds of the luncheon go to the CAPC.
Reed spoke to Kosciusko County community leaders on the importance of being active in the fight against child abuse and neglect.
Reed said that during her career in the education field, she saw many abused children. Some children were raised by their grandparents because their parents abandoned them. Other children went home after school only to find the house locked up and empty. Abused children would even sometimes beg to be sent to an orphanage, she said.
"We must work as hard as we can together to make sure it stops," she told the crowd.
This year there were three incidents of child abuse or neglect in Indiana she said were worth mentioning to show the severity of abuse children suffered in the state.
In January, a New Palestine father went to Indianapolis to buy cocaine. The deal went bad and the drug dealer was after him.
"He used his two little boys as human shields," Reed said. The six-year-old was shot and killed.
In March, several Kokomo children were found malnourished, had severe cases of head lice and the mother held one of the boy's hands over an open flame as discipline. A young girl staying with the family was sexually molested by the father.
The third incident occurred in Plymouth. The case is so severe that Chicago Tribune reporter Bob Green writes a daily article on the 6-year-old boy.
The boy was kept locked up in the broom closet of a mobile home. A chain-link fence was put over the broom closet door and the boy was chained up there for months. If he soiled himself, the feces was rubbed over him. If he complained of being thirsty, they let him drink dishwater. His father even urinated on him, Reed said.
She then discussed how the number of children's deaths in Indiana seems to be increasing, but the number of child abuse cases being reported seems to be decreasing.
During fiscal year 1994, 28,622 children were reported as victims of abuse in Indiana. In 1995, there was 29,340; 27,594 in 1996; 22,446 in 1997; and 17,691 in fiscal year 1998. At the same time, there were 56 child fatalities in 1994, 44 in 1995, 43 in 1996, 46 in 1997 and 65 in 1998.
Reed said there are several reasons the numbers being reported are dwindling.
"We may be cutting down on false reports," she said.
Other reasons are that people may be seeking help dealing with their anger, people aren't reporting child abuse because they live "busy" lives, or the economy is good so there is less stress for parents to take out on their children.
"The best way to end the cycle is through education," Reed said.
She also said that government programs like Healthy Families are helping prevent child abuse and neglect. Healthy Families allows for home visits to candidates who may be of abused homes. There are now 55 chapters in 57 counties.
Reed said the biggest problem government programs face is that some people want government to do more to prevent abuse but others think government already does too much.
"We must be very careful about how we make that balance so that children who need that help get it," Reed said.
She said children are often reluctant to report being abused because they often don't know any better.
"We have to remember that the children of abusive parents become abusive parents themselves," she said.
She said people with good parents often take it for granted that everyone has good parents. She also said people must remember that it's not the child's fault and to report it if they suspect a child is being abused.
Lake City Bank Executive Vice-President Jean Northenor was luncheon host.
