child abuse

Neglect And Abuse Kills 90 Children In Ill. During 2012

The Associated Press — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:55:28 +0000

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services says neglect and abuse killed 90 children in the state last year and almost half were infants who died in unsafe sleeping conditions.

Department spokesman Dave Clarkin said yesterday the total could rise. More than 60 death investigations are still pending from 2012. Clarkin says 40 of the children were infants who suffocated while sleeping with parents, with blankets or on their stomachs. All of those practices are dangerous.

Task Force Releases 22 Recommendations For Fighting Sex Abuse Of Children

Marshall Griffin and The Associated Press — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:29:31 +0000

A task force has released its recommendations on combatting sexual abuse of children in Missouri.

There are 22 recommendations in all. They include requiring people who are legally obligated to report sex abuse incidents to directly contact the state’s Children’s Division, instead of just reporting incidents to superiors within their own organizations. That particular recommendation will be sponsored by State Representative Marsha Haefner (R, Oakville).

Report: Child Sex Abuse Cases Up In Downstate Ill.

Illinois Public Radio — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:45:37 +0000

The Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services says family members are failing to report cases of sexual abuse. That assertion came Thursday in a report that says child sex abuse cases are up in Downstate Illinois.

DCFS says more than half of the people reported for child sex abuse were related to the victim. But the vast majority of those reports came not from family members, but professionals who are required by law to report abuse.

Man Arrested In Child Pornography Crackdown Sentenced To Nearly 13 Years

Rachel Lippmann — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:47:02 +0000

A Belleville, Ill. man arrested as part of Attorney General Lisa Madigan's crackdown on child pornography last year will spend more than a dozen years in federal prison for his crimes.

Garold Lee Semelka, 62, pleaded guilty in June to receiving and possessing child pornography. His computer contained more than 600 images or videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit activity.

Morning headlines: Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Julie Bierach, The Associated Press and Illinois Public Radio — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:28:19 +0000

Legal fight between Quinn and Union continues

The legal fight between Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and the union that represents prisons workers continues this week.

Quinn had wanted the prisons closed by last Friday. Instead that day an arbitrator said the administration violated its contract with the prison workers' union by moving to close the facilities before they'd finished what's called "impact bargaining."

Union spokesman Anders Lindall says impact bargaining doesn't only affect employees facing layoffs.