Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Joshua Shulman, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Multnomah County, Oregon, a 5 year old girl was found in the parking lot of the sheriff’s office. She then told officers that she wandered away from an abusive home. Sherirff Bob Skipper saw the girl and brought her into the building. The little girl later told police that her mother worked at nights and the little girl left out of an unlocked door. The little girl also reported problems with her mother’s boyfriend that appeared to be abusive and sexual in nature. The child will be kept in custody as an investigation is conducted by the Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team. You can read more about this disturbing story at 5 Year Old Girl Wanders into the Safety of the Sheriff’s Parking Lot in East Portland, Oregon.
The Georgia Supreme Court heard arguments recently in an appeal by a Georgia teacher who was convicted of having sex with a 16 year old student at her school. The teacher was convicted under Georgia Code Section 16-6-5.1 which provides a 10 year mandatory sentence for any “custodian or supervisor” who has sexual contact with anyone who is enrolled in a school.
The website Craigslist.com in Atlanta is under investigation by law enforcement agencies for its use as a child prostitution site. A non-profit child advocacy organization claims that in February, 2009, 176 girls were advertised on Craigslist in Atlanta, Georgia. The FBI has filed charges against two individuals for taking nude photographs of a 17 year old girl and then uploading them onto Craigslist. According to the FBI charges, the two individuals who were charged worked for two days as a prostitute, providing her earnings to the two individuals who have since been charged.
In Maine and other states, many sexual offenders and child predators leave many victims with permanent psychological and physical injuries until they get caught. Even after getting caught and serving prison time, many offenders re-offend and harm even more victims. In Lewiston, Maine, Joshua Whitlock was recently arrested and charged with with sexual assault including crimes against children under the age of 12 years old. At the time of the recent arrest, Mr. Whitlock was on probation and was a registered sex offender.
In Iowa and other states, a sex offender database has been established to keep track of sex offenders, child predators, and others who have been convicted of crimes that pose a risk too others and especially children. Iowa requires registration for all individuals who have been convicted or adjudicated of a criminal offense against a minor, a crime of sexual exploitation, or a sexually violent crime on or after July 1, 1995. The registry allows citizens and residents in Iowa to access this important information and take necessary precautions that parents and others deem fit to protect themselves and their children.