Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By John Jensen, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Kannapolis, North Carolina, it was reported that a day care worker was caught on video surveillance tape at the day care center mistreating children under her care. Police have charged the woman (Whitney Belk) with five counts of criminal assault for her actions. The day care center, Kids Korner Child Development Center, had video surveillance in place. The administrator (Danielle Mauldin) of the North Carolina child care center viewed videotape and then terminated Ms. Belk as an employee. The use of video surveillance can be used as evidence in criminal case. More day care centers should consider installing and utilizing videotape surveillance as a safety precaution and measure for children. Videotape surveillance can answer questions and settle disputes when there is a question as to how a child was injured or how a child was handled or treated by a teacher, assistant, and / or other staff member at the day care center. Unfortunately, staff members and employees at day care centers in North Carolina and other States continue to abuse and neglect children at a location that should be a safe haven for children. See North Carolina Care Worker Accused of Assaulting Children.
A recent court ruling may make it easier for victims of child pornography to receive restitution from those convicted of possessing child pornographic images. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal restitution law generally does not require victims to detail how an individual defendant harmed them in order to get compensation, a ruling different from previous court holdings. However, legal experts are saying that the issue will probably end up having to be answered by the U.S. Supreme Court because of the disagreement among courts. In the Texas case, a woman sought compensation from an East Texas man who was previously convicted of possession images of child pornography. If you would like to read more see 
Due to the high-profile cases of Jessica Lunsford, Carlie Brucia and Sarah Lunde, the Florida Legislature expanded the Jacksonville-based Child Predator CyberCrime Unit 10-fold, which included adding a wide array of detectives, prosecutors and victim advocates. The unit had five offices statewide and made hundreds of arrests. The unit became so noteworthy that its director made an appearance on “Oprah,” and was held out as a model for cracking down on sexual predators who use the Internet in their abusive acts. Although the unit appears to be one of the state’s valuable resources, it was not prevented from falling victim to Gov. Rick Scott’s vigorous budget cuts. The program’s staff was dramatically decreased from a 34-person staff to just 15 and were moved to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The proposed plan is to keep only 6 out of the 15 investigators statewide. Critics of the cutbacks are concerned that the FDLE will not have the resources to implement the labor-intensive online investigations the unit’s staff is use to conducting. For more details and criticisms read 
A man from Grand Rapids, Michigan has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a child in his home, where police say his wife ran as an unlicensed day care. Leroy George was sentenced to 12 months in Kent County Jail, five years probation, and six months of home confinement after he serves his jail sentence and will have to register as a sex offender. George pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. The two other counts of the same charge were ultimately dismissed. The alleged victim is younger than 13-years-old. The child victim informed her parents about the incident, which is how police were involved and ultimately led to George’s July 2010 arrest. Investigators believe that the Georges ran the residential, unlicensed day care for at least three years. For more read 
The operator of a Houston, Texas residential day care who was recently charted with reckless injury to a child has fled to Nigeria. Texas authorities have asked the U.S. Marshal’s Office to intervene in an attempt to have Jessica Tata extradited back to Houston. Tata was charged after a kitchen fire broke out in her day care. Tata was not at the home when the fire occurred, leaving seven children unattended while she allegedly went grocery shopping. 22-year-old Jessica Tata, was the only adult supervising the 7 children the day of the incident. According to Texas’ child care rules, Tata should not have been caring for more than 6 children older than 18-months. She was charged in connection with the death of 3-year-old Shomari Dickerson. If convicted Tata could face up to 20 years in prison, it is still unclear if she could face additional charges. For more details on the fire please read 
A 4-year-old boy from New Bedford, Massachusetts was beaten so badly that the mere sight of the child brought tears to a hospital nurse. Police have arrested and charged the the mother’s boyfriend for the horrific beating of the child. 31-year-old Elvis Garcia has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Officials stated the little boy’s body was covered in bruises and cuts and had dried blood in his ear. Detective Alberto B. Silva described the crime committed against the victim to the New Bedford Times as “heinous.” 33-year-old Sandra Augusto, the child’s mother, was also arrested and charged with substantial injury to a child and and reckless endangerment to a child under 18; she is accused of allowing the abuse to happen. For more see