Report: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in the U.S.

Every Child Matters has released the second edition of their report We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America. The report takes a deep look into the number of deaths in the United States which are the result of child maltreatment.

The report’s figures and findings are somewhat shocking, however inclusion illustrates how we can reduce these preventable fatalities of children.  Children like;

• 13-year-old Shavon Miles who was bludgeoned with a 2-by-4 in August 2007.
• 7-year-old Adrian Norris, II who was starved to death and set on fire in January 2003.
• 12-month-old Selena McDonald who was beaten to death in January 2004.
• 5-year-old Logan Marr who died of asphyxiation after being bound with duct tape in January 2001.
• 2-year-old James Many White Horses was beaten to death and put in the trunk of a car in May 2008.
• 5-month-old Brianna Lopez whose death was caused after she was raped and then thrown in July 2002.

These children are only a small, but painful reminder of the some 12,180 preventable child deaths as a result of child abuse and, or, neglect from 2001-2008 (according to official federal statistics) which are examined in this report.

The first report, We Can Do Better, was released in 2009 and subsequently led to the creation of the National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths, which includes five national organizations; the Every Child Matters Education Fund, the National Center for Child Death Review, National Children’s Alliance, the National District Attorneys Association, and the National Association of Social Workers.

Since the first report was released last October, the Government Accountability Office, in May of 2010, began a study of child abuse fatalities associated with the child welfare system.  In the past year the newly formed Coalition has been busy meeting with members of Congress and the current Administration  to seek ways to reduce child abuse and neglect deaths in the U.S. The Coalition has also made Law and Order: SVU actress Tamara Tunie a national spokesperson and you can see more on her efforts in the youtube video she created in support of the Coalition’s efforts.

While the Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths has sought to bring national attention to the issue and Every Child Matters and supporters are asking for your help to urge legislators to make ending child abuse deaths a priority. Click here to sign a petition requesting that Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid conduct Congressional hearings on child abuse deaths.

For more information on last year’s report, as well as national child abuse and neglect figures and standings, and coverage of the public release on Capital Hill in the following articles; Rallying for change against child abuse and Doing more to protect our children from abuse

Please see my previous article, Knowing the signs of abuse to protect our children, to learn more on how you can protect and prevent children from abuse.