Last week many of us received an AMBER Alert on our phones, asking us to watch for a missing 3-year-old boy from Red Lake.
Law enforcement found him a short time later and “immediately observed” the child had scabs covering his entire body along with open sores across his face. The lesions were thought to be from chemical burns or some type of heat source. The boy was in so much pain that he could barely stand or walk on his own. Many of his teeth were found to be rotten. When he was given a cheese stick to eat, he could hardly chew it.
His mother has since been charged with child torture, third-degree assault of a child, malicious publishment of a child, and child neglect.
In a separate incident, just a few days ago, a 3-year-old boy was taken to Sanford Hospital, where he later died. Police are calling the boy’s death “suspicious” and have launched an investigation.
These are just two of many children who have been silently struggling this month. We know there are many more. We’ve done the research.
These children couldn’t speak up. The child protection system is and was their biggest hope. That’s why we must continue to examine and improve the system, especially as it relates to screening and investigating reports.
We’re encouraged that Governor Walz recently recommended allocating $15 million to system improvements. Specifically, the money would be earmarked for much-needed improvements to the state’s antiquated software system used to track social service cases.
Additionally, many bills are making their way through the legislature that would improve the child protection system. We’ll have an update on those bills next week after many of them make it past the committee deadline, which is today.
Finally, we hope you’ll make plans to join us on April 8 for our Day at the Capitol. You don’t need to have a background in social services or medicine; you just need to have a heart for at-risk children. We’ll provide all the training you need to communicate with your legislators.
Please join us for a couple of hours on April 8. Sign up now.
Great points, and thank you for your work for children at the Minnesota Capitol!
This is unconscionable in our world. How does no one see anything and not say something or question something?
I would not approach the parent, but rather police or some reporting agency and I personally would not go to CPS. What has happened to these precious little children did not happen overnight. In our society, we have to get over the idea of “it’s a family problem and none of my business” when it comes to the innocent, voiceless, little babies in our world, it is ALL of our business. We must be their voice, we must protect them and keep them safe and secure, no matter what. We are their only hope, their only chance to grow up healthy, happy, and loved!