Monday, December 5, 2022
Thursday, October 27, 2022
INVESTIGATING DOZIER: Christopher Sholly
SO MANY OF the Dozier related posts on Finding Florida have been about the school itself. I’ve written about the dark history, the structures & our experiences BUT I’ve only really spoken of the victims, in generalities. This was never done on purpose; It was mostly out of respect to the victims, those who survived & those who did not, & of course the families of both groups. It may have also been a way to avoid getting too close & personal; At the end of the day I’m a mom of a 9-year-old & an Auntie to a 5-year-old, both boys. To look at them knowing that boys of the same age were forcibly plucked from their homes & placed into an environment that would change, if not end their lives makes me physically ill. Whatever the reason, it’s time to talk about the MOST important part of this entire endeavor, the reason why I’m willing to continue this uphill battle:
THE BOYS…
A MOTHER’S FIGHT FOR JUSTICE
IT WAS A late December night when I would get a call that would again change the direction that I was going. I answered & heard “Jenn, It’s Dawn Chase.” I was floored. I had seen her son’s story & had felt compelled to send her an email a couple of months before. The problem was that the open letter that she had posted on the website was written years before. I knew I was taking a chance using the contact info that had been attached to it but what did I really have to lose at that point? Thankfully, she did happen to see my email!
DURING THAT CALL, I told her about what I was trying to do & what had happened so far. I also told her about how I had gotten her son’s name to begin with. He had been the very last name on a list of about 15 other boys that another former Dozier boy had given to me. This list was different than the others…The Boys on this list had ALL served time at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in the 2000’s & EVERY single one of them could attest to the abuse that was happening at the school. These Boys were “Game Changers!” NOT only would they be able to back up the claims of the Whitehouse Boys that had been there in the 50’s & 60’s BUT they could also offer proof that the abuse NEVER stopped. Marianna didn’t care about changing OR righting the wrongs of the past; They just wanted it ALL to go away, whatever the cost may be. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that there were kids being beaten until the very day that Dozier closed its doors in 2011.
A LIFE INTERRUPTED
HIS NAME IS Christopher Sholly. He is a son, a brother, an uncle, an aspiring model…And yes, he is also yet another unfortunate victim of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. Chris’s story runs a bit broader though as Dozier would be only one of many stops in Florida’s Juvenile Justice system; ALL would fail him miserably. What started as a couple of tees having a fight at school would result in a 13-year-old boy becoming entangled in Florida’s corrupt Juvenile Justice System for the next 4 years; ONLY ending when he would be herded into the dark abyss of adult prison life. There would be NO trying out for his high school sports team, NO nervous fidgeting while he attempted to ask a girl to homecoming OR prom. He wouldn’t even have the luxury of celebrating the remaining birthdays of his teenage years at home with his family. All of the things that most of us take for granted.
IT WOULD BE the Fall of 2004 when Chris would 1st come into contact with the Arthur G Dozier School for Boys. Near completion of his program at the Jackson Juvenile Offenders Center (JJOCC), he was looking forward to finally going home & getting on with his life. Claiming that they needed to free up spots for Juveniles that were considered “flight risks”, Chris was sent to Dozier.
HE WAS ASSURED that his credits from the JJOC program would transfer with him, So he believed that he would complete his remaining time at AGDSB & be released on schedule. By now, we ALL know that Dozier doesn’t offer happy endings. Chris would be NO exception.
FROM THE MOMENT he stepped foot onto the campus, he was taunted, severely beaten & verbally assaulted. When he wasn’t being personally abused, he had to witness others receive the same treatment. But Chris did his best to stick it out, knowing he was only a matter of weeks from getting his life back. It would be when he started to fear for his life that he would finally say something.
DURING A PHONE call with his mom, Chris had the courage to tell her what was happening at the school. His mom, doing what most loving moms would do, immediately went to authorities. The Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) was called in to “investigate.”
And….
NOT ONE FREAKING thing happened! Now maybe a proper investigation was done & it was decided that this was just another case of a pissed off “juvenile delinquent” throwing around claims of abuse to get back at everyone for locking him up. That’s just got to be the case, right??
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IF THAT THOUGHT crossed your mind, I can assure you that you couldn’t be more wrong! As it turns out, the DCF caseworker assigned to investigate the claims of abuse was conveniently related to a Dozier staff member. But NOT just ANY staff member …It was THE staff member accused of abuse.
RETALIATION
IT MAKES ME sad to think about what so many children are now privy to at such a young age. It goes way beyond a child finding out that “Santa’s NOT Real” OR discovering that NOT all fairytales will have a happy ending. It’s realizing that the “Boogeyman” not only exists BUT takes the form of a man who is given too much power & has too much evil & hate inside. Being in such a position could be a good thing, if you decide to use that power to impact a child’s life positively. Obviously, most of the Dozier staff made a very different choice OR we’d all be hearing an entirely different story today. Yet, how powerful can you possibly be when your chosen victim is a child?
THE ANSWER IS quite simple; Beating a 13-year-old unconscious OR breaking his bones does NOT make a king BUT a coward. These real life “Boogeymen” would finally meet their match in the form of a teenaged boy. He may have been scared to death of not getting to go home OR worse, NOT making it out of the system alive, yet he decided to stand up for what was right.
“BUT I’M NOT AN ADULT”
IN SPITE OF the extreme retaliation that he would face, Chris would continue to report the abuse to his mom during their phone calls. She, in turn, began a crusade to get her son out of Dozier. Dawn spent her days reaching out to ANY official that she thought could help. She wasn’t going to stop until her boy was either transferred to another facility OR was sent home. Chris would eventually be transferred out of Dozier, though it wouldn’t be in a positive way. With approximately 6 years left until Dozier would finally close its doors for good, they weren’t about to allow another blemish to mark their record. The superintendent came up with a plan to keep that from happening; File assault charges on Chris stating that he had assaulted a guard & this time, they would make sure that he wouldn’t step foot inside another juvenile facility…This time he would be charged as an adult.
EVEN WITH THE evidence & witness testimony supporting Chris’s version of events, the corruption ran too deep…At just 17 years old, Chris became a child inmate sent to serve his sentence in a VERY adult prison.
ALTHOUGH I DID my best to tell Chris’s story, I barely scratched the surface of what he’s gone through. Fortunately, he kept a detailed journal documenting what he went through & with the help of his mom, compiled entries, letters & other important info…They then made ALL of the content public. If you’re interested in hearing his account, here is the link:
https://christophersholly.blogspot.com/2007/04/christopher-shollys-diary-abused-in.html?m=1
♤Please Consider Helping In The Fight For Justice By Signing The 1st Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/jenn-moslek-re-investigation-of-the-arthur-g-dozier-school-for-boys
http://www.whitehouseboys2007.com
Please sign the petition
Petition
Friday, September 9, 2022
Daniel's Law - Safe Haven for Babies
Daniel's Law
Daniel's Law was signed into law in 2001 and is named for an infant boy who survived after being buried in a landfill in Allendale County soon after his birth. Nurses named him Daniel as he recovered at a hospital. The Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, now known as Daniel's Law, was enacted to prevent these kinds of dangerous and often fatal abandonments.
Under the law, instead of abandoning a baby up to sixty days old in dangerous circumstances, a person can surrender their unharmed newborn baby at a designated location. They can give their child a chance at a happy, healthy life with a loving family.
Daniel's Law is intended to save babies. It is not intended to hurt or punish anyone. It provides a safe option for mother and baby.
You should know:
The law applies to infants up to 60 days old.
If the baby has been harmed in some way, the immunity from prosecution may not apply.
A person who abandons a newborn cannot be prosecuted for abandonment if he or she takes the unharmed baby to staff or an employee of a Safe Haven. Safe Havens are defined as a hospital or hospital outpatient facility, law enforcement agencies, fire stations, emergency medical services (EMS) stations, or a house of worship during the time the church or synagogue is staffed. The receiving “safe haven” should complete this form.
DSS will have legal custody of the child and will place the child in a foster home.
DSS will immediately pursue family court action to free the child for adoption.
The hospital will provide medical care and contact DSS.
The person leaving the child will be asked to provide medical information about the baby’s parents and, if possible, the name of the baby’s parents. This will help the medical personnel treat the baby for any health problems.
The person leaving the child does not have to reveal his or her identity.
If you are pregnant and confused or frightened about what to do with your baby or know someone who is pregnant and in crisis – there are people who can help – the Department of Social Services, your local health department, and your local hospital.
*One baby in 2020 was initially reported as a Daniel’s Law baby, but birth mother went through the relinquishment process which meant it was no longer classified as Daniel’s Law.
Saturday, May 28, 2022
Child Abuse Prevention Resources
Ok after reading more in this morning's news about a child who was abused and was likened to a concentration camp survivor, https://lawandcrime.com/crime/parents-of-ohio-stepmom-are-now-charged-with-helping-abuse-boy-who-was-likened-to-concentration-camp-survivor/?fbclid=IwAR0SFxmX1Ivscz5al2SLTiotK5Y7nbW35U4Zoq8WgcjMYyJNoeMsndjVP4E this story literally makes me sick. what kind of people are in this world that does stuff like this to innocent children. If a parent finds themselves in a situation where they feel they are not capable are taking care of a child then by all means own that shit and turn that child over to Child Protection Services or a family relative, or in other cases give the child to the other parent. And to the strip parents that come into a relationship where children are treated that child like it was your own. To treat a child like a piece of garbage because they are not from you is unacceptable. I know there is a special place in hell for those who do such horrific things to children.
Parents and step-parents once again I am going to post some resources for parents who might be struggling, to use them. Reach out and ask for help. No child deserves to be tortured or abused.
National Child Abuse Prevention Partner Organizations
Series: Related Organizations Lists
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway
National organizations were selected by the Children's Bureau to serve as partners in the national child abuse prevention initiative.
Alliance for Strong Families and Communities
1825 K Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, District of Columbia 20006
Phone: (202) 997-2559
Email: atempleman@alliance1.org
https://www.alliance1.org link(opens in new window)
Rooted in the historic cause of advancing equity for all people, the Alliance is a national strategic action network driven by members aligned through shared ownership and a common vision to achieve a healthy and equitable society. Members provide and lead an array of programs such as counseling, education and enrichment, child abuse prevention, adoption, foster care, workforce development, neighborhood revitalization, and civic engagement and advocacy.
nadid: 30356
American Academy of Pediatrics
345 Park Boulevard
National Headquarters
Itasca, Illinois 60143
Phone: (202) 247-8600
Toll-Free: (800) 433-9016
Fax: (202) 393-6137
Fax: (847) 434-8000
Email: kidsdocs@aap.org
https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Child-Abuse-and-Neglect/Pages/Prevention.aspxexternal link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a national, nonprofit membership organization of pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists that produces professional training materials and public education materials on pediatric topics including child maltreatment. Its mission is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Training Specific: The Council on Child Abuse and Neglect external link(opens in new window) is dedicated to improving the care and outcomes of infants, children, and adolescents through the prevention, identification, management, and treatment of child abuse and neglect.
nadid: 11077
American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
590 Avenue of the Americas
14th Floor
New York, New York 10011
Phone: (614) 827-1321
Toll-Free: (877) 402-7722
Fax: ( 614) 251-6005
Email: apsac@apsac.org
https://www.apsac.org/external link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), now in partnership with The New York Foundling is a nonprofit, national organization focused on meeting the needs of professionals engaged in all aspects of services for maltreated children and their families. Especially important to APSAC is the dissemination of state-of-the-art practice in all professional disciplines related to child abuse and neglect. The New York Foundling, whose mission offers an expansive array of services for under-served children, families, and adults with developmental disabilities provides the resources necessary to rebuild lives and rebuild families.
Training Specific: Find Training and Events Calendarexternal link(opens in new window) for information about APSAC and national and State-level partner events.
nadid: 11141
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5500
Toll-Free: (800) 374-2721
https://www.apa.org/external link(opens in new window)
The American Psychological Association (APA), based in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s mission is to advance the creation, dissemination, and application of psychological knowledge and practice to benefit society and improves people’s lives. The APA Violence Prevention Office (VPO) coordinates APA’s activities related to violence and injury prevention, and treatment on topics associated with child maltreatment, trauma, media violence, and youth violence. The office collaborates with other national associations, national collaboratives, and federal agencies to promote the contributions of psychology and psychologists to the understanding and prevention of violence.
nadid: 25972
American Public Human Services Association
1300 17th Street
Suite 340
Arlington, Virginia 22209
Phone: (202) 823-3200
Phone: (202) 682-0100
Fax: (202) 289-6555
https://www.aphsa.org/external link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is an organization of individuals and agencies concerned with human services. APHSA's mission is to promote, develop, and implement public human service policies that improve the health and well-being of families and children. As a major affiliate of APHSA, the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA) represents administrators of State and local public child welfare agencies working to meet the goals outlined in APHSA's mission statement.
Training Specific: The website of APHSAexternal link(opens in a new window) provides training information on Leadership and Practice Development of Human Services Professionals. The Leadership and Practice Development Department (LPD) works to support and enhance the capacity of state and local human service agencies to improve outcomes by implementing new policies and effect major program reforms.
The National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA), an affiliate of APHSA, provides a national forum for the discussion of staff development and training issues at the Federal, State, and local levels. To learn more, please visit the NSDTAexternal link(opens in a new window).
nadid: 11143
Annie E. Casey Foundation
701 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Phone: (410) 547-6600
Fax: (410) 547-6624
http://www.aecf.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The Annie E. Casey Foundation works to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families. The primary mission of the Foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families.
nadid: 11142
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
4016 Oxford Street
Annandale, Virginia 22003
Phone: (703) 256-2084
https://archrespite.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://archrespite.org/contact-usexternal link(opens in new window)
The mission of the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center is to assist and promote the development of quality respite and crisis care programs; to help families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities; and to serve as a strong voice for respite in all forums.
nadid: 11103
Be Strong Families
1555 Sherman Avenue
#103
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Toll-Free: (800) 805-2505, ext. 5
Email: info@bestrongfamilies.net
https://www.bestrongfamilies.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://www.bestrongfamilies.org/contactexternal link(opens in new window)
Be Strong Families partners to develop transformative conversations that nurture the spirit of family, promote well-being, and prevent violence. It is internationally known as an innovator in using structured, small group conversations called cafés to facilitate transformation and healing within families.
nadid: 28799
Capacity Building Center for States
9300 Lee Highway
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Toll-Free: (844) 222-0272
Email: capacityinfo@icfi.com
https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states/
The Center for States supports public child welfare agencies in effectively initiating and sustaining change and innovation to achieve improved system, organizational, and program performance. As a result, the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth, and families will be significantly enhanced. The goals for the Center for States include building capacity for increased effectiveness of public child welfare agencies through strong national expertise in child welfare and change management to help build and/or sustain the ability of agencies to perform well; to work in partnership with the Centers for Tribes and Courts to support States and other jurisdictions across the country; to create new and lasting partnerships with States, jurisdictions, Tribes, courts, and the Children's Bureau's Regional Office staff that reflect a shared focus on meeting the unique and individual needs of States and jurisdictions; to use a collaborative and systematic approach to build State and territory capacities across the five domains of resources; infrastructure; knowledge and skills; culture and climate; engagement and partnership.
nadid: 27469
Center for the Study of Social Policy
1575 Eye Street NW
Suite 500
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
Phone: (202) 371-1565
Fax: (202) 371-1472
Email: info@cssp.org
https://cssp.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://cssp.org/about-us/connect/contact-us/external link(opens in new window)
The mission of the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is to develop and promote public policies and practices that support and strengthen families and help communities produce equal opportunities and better futures for children.
The Center coordinates the national Strengthening Families initiative which is being implemented in over half of all States. Strengthening Families engages early childhood programs and other unusual partners in preventing child abuse and neglect by building five, research-based, Protective Factors that are shown to be correlated with reduced incidence of child abuse and neglect. The Strengthening Families National Network provides tools, peer support, technical assistance, and other resources for States implementing Strengthening Families. For more information about this initiative, please see CSSP's Strengthening Families Curriculumexternal link(opens in a new window).
nadid: 18682
Chapin Hall Center for Children
1313 East 60th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637
Phone: (773) 256-5100
Fax: (773) 753-5940
Email: webmaster@chapinhall.org
https://www.chapinhall.org/external link(opens in new window)
Chapin Hall is a research and development center focusing on policies, practices, and programs affecting children and the families and communities in which they live. The Center devotes special attention to children facing significant problems such as abuse or neglect, poverty, and mental or physical illnesses, and to the service systems designed to address these problems.
nadid: 11160
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Children's Bureau/ACYF
330 C Street, S.W
Washington, District of Columbia 20201
Toll-Free: (800) 394-3366
Email: info@childwelfare.gov
Child Welfare Information Gateway connects professionals and the general public to information and resources targeted at the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to programs, research, laws and policies, training resources, statistics, and much more.
nadid: 17904
Child Welfare League of America
Headquarters
727 15th St. NW Suite 1200
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
Phone: (202) 688-4200
Fax: (202) 833-1689
Email: cwla@cwla.org
https://www.cwla.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://www.cwla.org/about-us/contact/external link(opens in new window)
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is the oldest national organization serving vulnerable children, youth, and their families. CWLA provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to child welfare professionals and agencies while also educating the public on emerging issues that affect abused, neglected, and at-risk children. Through its publications, conferences, and teleconferences, CWLA shares information on emerging trends, specific topics in child welfare practice (family foster care, kinship care, adoption, positive youth development), and Federal and State policies.
nadid: 11165
Childhelp
6730 N. Scottsdale Rd
Suite 150
Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
Phone: (480) 922-8212
Toll-Free: (800) 4AC-HILD
TDD: (800) 2AC-HILD
Fax: (480) 922-7061
https://www.childhelp.org/external link(opens in new window)
Childhelp is dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp's approach focuses on prevention, intervention, and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Childhelp's programs and services also include residential treatment services; children's advocacy centers; therapeutic foster care; group homes; child abuse prevention, education, and training; and the National Day of Hope, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month every April.
nadid: 11162
Children's Trust Fund Alliance
PO Box 15206
Seattle, Washington 98115
Phone: (206) 526-1221
Fax: (206) 526-0220
Email: info@ctfalliance.org
http://www.ctfalliance.org external link(opens in new window)
Children's Trust Funds Alliance initiates and engages in national efforts that assist state Children's Trust and Prevention Funds in strengthening families to prevent child abuse and neglect. This includes promoting and supporting a system of services, laws, practices, and attitudes that supports families by enabling them to provide their children with a safe, healthy, and nurturing childhood.
nadid: 11127
Children’s Bureau Learning and Coordination Center at Kauffman and Associates, Inc.
165 S Howard Street
Suite 200
Spokane, Washington 99201
Phone: (301) 442-7720
The Children’s Bureau Learning and Coordination Center (CBLCC, formerly CANTASD) provides logistics and strategic communication services to support peer learning, meeting and events, and multimedia resource development on issues relevant to the full spectrum of child welfare. The CBLCC also supports several constituency groups, including the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect and the Prevention Partners national network, and develops content for the National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect.
nadid: 30221
Circle of Parents
P.O. Box 17982
Richmond, Virginia 23226
Phone: (540) 847-8483
Phone: (804) 308-0841
Email: Circleofparentsac@gmail.com
http://www.circleofparents.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The mission of the Circle of Parents is to prevent child abuse and neglect and to strengthen families through friendly, supportive, mutual self-help parent support groups and children's programs.
Currently, the Circle of Parents national network represents a partnership of parent leaders and 26 statewide organizations in 25 States and Puerto Rico. The organization was formed after a successful collaborative project of Prevent Child Abuse America and the National Family Support Roundtable, which was made possible by the Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Circle of Parents website provides links to information about the program model, its state network member organizations, training and technical assistance to its membership, parenting resources, and more.
nadid: 12066
Darkness to Light
1064 Gardner Road
Suite 210
Charleston, South Carolina 29407
Phone: (843) 965-5444
Toll-Free: (866) FOR-LIGH T8663675444
Fax: (843) 571-0902
https://www.d2l.org/external link(opens in new window)
Darkness to Light is a primary prevention program whose mission is to engage adults in the prevention of child sexual abuse; reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse nationally through education and public awareness aimed at adults, and provide adults with information to recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
nadid: 11459
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
650 Fifth Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Phone: (212) 974-7000
Fax: (212) 974-7590
http://www.ddcf.org/external link(opens in new window)
The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Child Abuse Prevention Program is to protect children from abuse and neglect to promote their healthy development.
The program awards grants to organizations to improve parent-child interactions and to increase parents' access to information and services that help prevent child maltreatment before it occurs.
nadid: 12065
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP)
800 Eastowne Drive
Suite 105
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Phone: (919) 493-1584
http://friendsnrc.org/external link(opens in new window)
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) is a program authorized by Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act that provides Federal funds to a lead agency in each State designated by the Governor to provide leadership for and support to child abuse prevention programs and activities in the State. FRIENDS assists CBCAP State Lead Agencies to meet the requirements of their funding through the development of written resources and the provision of training and technical assistance.
nadid: 26332
Futures Without Violence
100 Montgomery Street
The Presidio
San Francisco, California 94129
Phone: (415) 678-5500
Toll-Free: (866) 678-8901
Email: info@futureswithoutviolence.org
https://FuturesWithoutViolence.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
Futures Without Violence is a health and social justice nonprofit with a simple mission: to heal those among us who are traumatized by violence today – and to create healthy families and communities free of violence tomorrow. From domestic violence and child abuse to bullying and sexual assault, our groundbreaking programs, policy development, and public action campaigns are designed to prevent and end violence against women and children around the world. Striving to reach new audiences and transform social norms, we train professionals such as doctors, nurses, judges, and athletic coaches on improving responses to violence and abuse. We also work with advocates, policymakers, and others to build sustainable community leadership and educate people everywhere about the importance of respect and healthy relationships.
nadid: 30264
Infant Massage USA
PO Box 7745
Nashua, New Hampshire 03060
Phone: (978) 225-0093
Email: Linda.Storm@InfantMassageUSA.org
http://www.infantmassageusa.org/external link(opens in new window)
Infant Massage USA® provides comprehensive, evidence-based four-day training for people in many career fields, i.e: OTs, PTs, Nurses, Home Visitors, Early Intervention, etc. Our Certified Educators of Infant Massage (CEIMs) work with parents to provide instruction on how to massage their babies. Through the instruction, massage helps to improve the physical and emotional well-being of babies, enhances parent-infant bonding, and facilitates long-term, positive emotional development in families.
nadid: 25975
National Association for the Education of Young Children
1313 L St. NW
Suite 500
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
Phone: (202) 232-8777
Toll-Free: (800) 424-2460
Fax: (202) 328-1846
Email: help@naeyc.org
http://www.naeyc.org/ external link(opens in new window)
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the leading membership association for those working with and on behalf of children from birth through age 8.
NAEYC convenes thought leaders, teachers and other practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders and sets standards of excellence for programs and teachers in early childhood education. NAEYC members include teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, and the public at large. Membership is open to all individuals who share a desire to serve and act on behalf of the needs and rights of all young children.
nadid: 12062
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)
5 Hanover Square
Suite 1401
New York, New York 10004
Phone: (917) 746-8300
Fax: (212) 785-1713
Email: pnp.representative@napnap.org
http://www.napnap.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is the professional association for pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and other advanced practice nurses who care for children. Established in 1973, we are the only national organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care for infants, children, and adolescents, and to advancing the PNP's role in providing that care. NAPNAP has a Child Maltreatment & Neglect Special Interest Group (CMN SIG) which is for members whose practice focuses on subspecialty practice in the field of child physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and child neglect evaluation. The aim of this SIG is better communication and cooperation among involved practitioners. NAPNAP also recently published NAPNAP's Practical Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Screening, Early Intervention, and Health Promotion, 2nd Edition. In it, is a section on Child Maltreatment which has information on Child Abuse and Neglect for School-Age Children.
nadid: 26333
National Center for Children in Poverty
475 Riverside Drive
Suite 1400
New York, New York 10115
Phone: (646) 284-9600
Fax: (646) 284-9623
http://www.nccp.org/external link(opens in new window)
The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) is a public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America's low-income families and children. Using research to inform policy and practice, NCCP seeks to advance family-oriented solutions and the strategic use of public resources at the State and national levels to ensure positive outcomes for the next generation.
nadid: 11134
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
1433 N 1075 W
Suite 110
Farmington, Utah 84025
Phone: (801) 447-9360
Fax: (801) 447-9364
Email: mail@dontshake.org
http://www.dontshake.org/external link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) offers information on the shaken baby syndrome, shaken baby syndrome prevention programs, and training for professionals and parents nationwide.
Training Specific: The Online Training Center external link(opens in a new window) offers, among others, three training modules: the Period of PURPLE Crying program overview, Basic Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS/AHT) education, and Childcare Providers Intro to SBS/AHT.
nadid: 11208
National Children's Alliance
516 C Street, NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
Phone: (202) 548-0090
Toll-Free: (800)239-9950
Fax: (202) 548-0099
https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/external link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The National Children's Alliance (NCA) is a nonprofit membership organization that provides training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to communities seeking to plan, establish and improve Children's Advocacy Centers. These Centers further the goal of serving abused children through a comprehensive approach to services for victims and their families.
Training Specific: A wide range of training opportunities may be found in the NCA Learning Center. external link(opens in new window)
nadid: 11023
National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation
P.O. Box 17770
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
Phone: (678) 904-2880
http://www.preventtogether.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation (NSVRC) is a coalition that coordinates and collaborates among a wide variety of organizations and individuals committed to prevention. NSVRC’s mission is to create a unified effort to promote the healthy development of children and youth and end their sexual abuse and exploitation.
nadid: 29858
National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association
100 West Harrison Street
North Tower, Suite 500
Seattle, Washington 98119
Phone: (206) 774-7250
Toll-Free: (800) 628-3233
https://nationalcasagal.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://nationalcasagal.org/contact-us/external link(opens in new window)
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of 933 community-based programs that recruit, train, and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates empowered directly by the courts offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child's rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care.
nadid: 11021
National Exchange Club Foundation
3050 Central Avenue
Toledo, Ohio 43606-1700
Phone: 419.535.3232
Email: development@nationalexchangeclub.org
http://www.nationalexchangeclub.org/foundation-2/external link(opens in new window)
The National Exchange Club Foundation(NECF) was established when the National Exchange Club, an all-volunteer service organization adopted the Prevention of Child Abuse as its National Project. Today, NECF helps local Exchange Clubs develop and maintain community-based child abuse prevention programs, as well as supporting Exchange's Program of Service projects, which include Youth Programs and Community Service, among others.
nadid: 11033
National Family Preservation Network
1070-1 Tunnel Road
Suite 10-347
Asheville, North Carolina 28805
Toll-Free: (888) 498-9047
Fax: (208) 543-6080
Email: director@nfpn.org
https://www.nfpn.org/ external link(opens in new window)
General Scope: The mission of the National Family Preservation Network (NFPN) is to serve as a primary national voice for the preservation of families through Intensive Family Preservation and Reunification Services (IFPS & IFRS).
nadid: 11304
National Family Support Network
770 P Street, NW
Unit 931
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
Phone: (415) 730-5310
Email: info@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org
http://www.nationalfamilysupportnetwork.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
Founded in 2011, the National Family Support Network (NFSN) is a membership-based organization comprised of statewide networks of two or more Family Support and Strengthening programs, such as Family Resource Centers, working together within a collective impact framework to ensure coordinated quality support for families. The mission of the NFSN is to promote positive outcomes for all children, families, and communities by leveraging the collective impact of state Networks and championing quality Family Support, and Strengthening practices and policies.
nadid: 27481
National Fatherhood Initiative
12410 Milestone Center Drive
Suite 600
Germantown, Maryland 20876
Phone: (301) 948-0599
Fax: (301) 948-6776
Email: info@fatherhood.org
https://www.fatherhood.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The National Fatherhood Initiative works to improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.
nadid: 11197
National Indian Child Welfare Association
5100 SW Macadam Avenue
Suite 300
Portland, Oregon 97239
Phone: (503) 222-4044
Email: info@nicwa.org
https://www.nicwa.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) functions as the only Native American organization focused specifically on issues of child abuse and neglect and tribal capacity to prevent and respond effectively to these problems. NICWAprovide workshops and training programs, using culturally appropriate NICWA developed resources, including training materials, curricula, and books. NICWA also offers technical assistance and training on child care, family preservation, and substance abuse.
Training Specific: NICWA has developed training on a variety of topics related to American Indian child welfare that are available via on-site training, training institutes, or ICWA online training courses. For more information, please see http://www.nicwa.org/training/.external link(opens in new window)
nadid: 11020
National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan (NPEIV)
10065 Old Grove Road
Suite 210
San Diego, California 92131
Phone: (858) 527-1860 ext. 4140
Email: wvusendek@hotmail.com
https://www.npeiv.org/external link(opens in new window)
The National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan (NPEIV) embraces a national, multi-disciplinary, and multicultural commitment to the prevention of all forms of interpersonal violence. NPEIV believes it is a basic human right to be safe at home, safe at school, safe in the community, and safe when interacting with the institutions of our society. It is NPEIV's mission to work towards eliminating all forms of interpersonal violence, for all people, in all communities, at all stages of life. Please refer to NPEIV's website at: https://www.npeiv.org/external link(opens in a new window). for more information on NPEIV and its activities.
nadid: 25974
National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC)
2394 Mt. Vernon Road
Suite 210
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338
Phone: (703) 225-2320
Toll-Free: (877) 432-3411
Fax: (703) 934-3740
Email: Help@FatherhoodGov.Info
https://www.fatherhood.gov/
The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) supports the Administration for Children and Families Office of Family Assistance's (OFA) efforts to assist States and communities to promote and support Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage.
Primarily a tool for professionals operating Responsible Fatherhood programs, the NRFC provides access to print and electronic publications, timely information on fatherhood issues, and targeted resources that support OFA-funded Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage recipients. The NRFC website also provides essential information for other audiences interested in fatherhood issues.
nadid: 19982
National SafeCare Training and Research Center (NSTRC)
14 Marietta Street
Room 233
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Phone: (404) 413-1283
Email: safecare@gsu.edu
https://safecare.publichealth.gsu.edu/external link(opens in new window)
SafeCare is an evidence-based, behavioral parent-training model. SafeCare aims to prevent child neglect and abuse among parents of children 0-5 by targeting three skills that are proximal antecedents to maltreatment: positive parenting, home safety and supervision, and child health care. SafeCare is delivered in-home and includes approximately 18 sessions, with 3 modules that address the target skills (Parent-Child Interaction, Home Safety, and Child Health). The program uses behavioral strategies and teaching methods (e.g., observational learning, reinforcement, behavioral assessments, skill practice to mastery criteria) to ensure parent skill development. The National SafeCare Training and Research Center (NSTRC) at Georgia State University provides training and support for systems and agencies around the world to adopt SafeCare and deliver it to families. NSTRC was established in 2007 with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation at Georgia State University. There are currently over 100 accredited SafeCare agencies in the United States and international settings.
nadid: 29867
Nurse-Family Partnership
1900 Grant Street
4th floor
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: (303) 327-4240
Toll-Free: (866) 864-5226
Fax: (303) 327-4260
Email: info@nursefamilypartnership.org
http://www.nursefamilypartnership.org/external link(opens in new window)
The Nurse-Family Partnership represents an approach to the long-established service strategy of the home visiting model that improves the health and social functioning of low-income, first-time mothers, their babies, and families.
The NFP is affiliated with the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the National Center for Children, Families, and Communities(NCCFC) in the School of Nursing.
nadid: 12064
Parents As Teachers
2228 Ball Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63146
Phone: (314) 213-8500
http://www.parentsasteachers.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://parentsasteachers.org/contactexternal link(opens in new window)
Parents as Teachers helps organizations and professionals work with parents during the critical early years of their children's lives, from conception to kindergarten.
Parents as Teachers develop curricula that support a parent's role in promoting school readiness and the healthy development of children. Providers are offered practical, hands-on applications for parents in real-world situations.
nadid: 11873
Predict-Align-Prevent
1452 Hughes Road
Suite 200
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Phone: (941) 445-3949
Email: info@predict-align-prevent.org
https://www.predict-align-prevent.org/external link(opens in new window)
Predict-Align-Prevent, (PAP) is on a mission to stop child maltreatment before it happens. Through geospatial risk analysis, strategic alignment of community initiatives, and implementation of accountable prevention programs, we discover practical solutions to the fundamental problems of child maltreatment, preventing the suffering and death of little children due to abuse and neglect.
nadid: 30223
Prevent Child Abuse America
228 S. Wabash
10th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: (312) 663-3520
Fax: (312) 939-8962
Email: info@preventchildabuse.org
https://preventchildabuse.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://preventchildabuse.org/contact-us/external link(opens in new window)
Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) is committed to promoting legislation, policies, and programs that help prevent child abuse and neglect, support healthy childhood development and strengthen families. Working with State chapters, PCCA provides leadership to promote and implement prevention efforts at the national and local levels.
PCAA's research team external link(opens in new window) provides a link between research and practice by developing and evaluating prevention strategies, and by disseminating information about child abuse maltreatment and its prevention across the country.
nadid: 11034
Public Consulting Group – Children and Youth Services
148 State Street
10th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Phone: (919) 426-5271
https://www.publicconsultinggroup.com/human-services/children-and-youth/external link(opens in new window)
https://www.publicconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/external link(opens in new window)
Public Consulting Group – Children and Youth Services work together with State and local agencies and the social services sector to help and heal children, youth, and families who have experienced adversity. PCG partners with these organizations to provide consulting and operational support to promote and protect children and families. Together, we work towards transforming the systems that support and protect children, youth and families.
nadid: 30285
Raising the Future
250 W First Street
Suite 250
Claremont, California 91711-3475
Phone: (909) 621-6184
Toll-Free: (855) 427-2736
Fax: (909) 621-0614
Email: Parentsanonymous@parentsanonymous.org
https://www.raisingfuture.org/program/parents-anonymous/external link(opens in new window)
Parents Anonymous, a program of Raising the Future, is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Parents Anonymous operates numerous programs and initiatives, including an international network of accredited organizations that implement groups and complementary children and youth programs based on a mutual support-shared leadership model. In addition, Parents Anonymous provides many services, including specialized training, customized technical assistance, public awareness, outreach strategies, and evaluation services to States, counties, and community-based organizations on a wide range of topics related to children and families.
nadid: 11030
Saint Francis Ministries
509 E. Elm Street
Salina, Kansas 67401
Phone: (785) 825-0541
Phone: (202) 431-3532
TTY: (800) 423-1342
https://saintfrancisministries.org/external link(opens in new window)
Saint Francis Ministries is a non-profit, faith-based organization dedicated to the protection, nurturing, and healing of children and families in body, mind, and spirit. Services offered to encompass family preservation, foster care, therapeutic foster care, adoption, residential care, international ministries, and community outreach services.
nadid: 29798
Search Institute
3001 Broadway Street N.E.
Suite 310
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
Phone: (612) 376-8955
Toll-Free: (800) 888-7828
Email: info@searchinstitute.org
http://www.search-institute.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
Search Institute conducts research to identify what children and adolescents need to become caring, healthy, and responsible adults and provides resources to apply this knowledge and to motivate and equip others in ensuring young people are valued and thrive.
nadid: 30357
Social Current
1825 K Street NW
Suite 600
Washington, District of Columbia 20006
https://www.social-current.org/external link(opens in new window)
https://www.social-current.org/contact/external link(opens in new window)
Formed by the union of The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and the Council on Accreditation, Social Current brings together a network of human/social service organizations and partners. Leveraging the collective experience of the field and research, the newly created organization focuses on amplifying the work of the social sector through collaboration, innovation, policy, and practice excellence. Social Current offers access to the intellectual capital of thousands of professionals within their network through peer groups, learning opportunities, collective advocacy, individualized consultation, tools, and resources that address the sector’s most critical challenges. Social Current also offers a compilation of live webinars and self-paced and instructor-led courses external link(opens in new window) that address issues related to organizational excellence, advancing equity, and population health and well-being. While most of the courses are free, some involve a cost.
nadid: 30138
Stop It Now!
351 Pleasant Street
Suite B319
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Phone: (413) 587-3500
Toll-Free: (888) 773-8368
Email: info@stopitnow.org
http://www.StopItNow.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families, and communities to take action before a child is harmed. Stop It Now! provides support, information, and resources for adults to take responsibility for creating safer communities.
Visit the Online Help Center at StopItNow.org for guidance and resources to prevent child sexual abuse.
nadid: 11136
The Full Frame Initiative
308 Main Street
Suite 2A
Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301
Phone: (413) 773-3400
Fax: (413) 773-3322
Email: info@fullframeinitiative.org
http://fullframeinitiative.org/external link(opens in new window)
The Full Frame Initiative (FFI) is a national nonprofit organization that works to break cycles of poverty and violence through systems change. FFI has discovered the common DNA among the organizations that effectively serve people with multiple challenges and lasting change occurs when people are supported in the full-frame of their lives. Many more organizations would choose to operate with a Full Frame Approach, but they are stymied by rules, regulations, and other barriers present throughout the social service system. In partnership with practical visionaries in government, nonprofits, philanthropy, and communities, FFI removes systemic barriers to full-frame practice, allowing more people and communities to thrive.
nadid: 27479
The U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children
175 West Mark Street
Maxwell Hall, 2nd Floor
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota 55987
Phone: (614) 834-7946
Email: wvusendek@hotmail.com
https://endhitting.org/external link(opens in new window)
The U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children works to bring together individuals, groups, and organizations to create a unified voice calling for, and working toward, the end of all forms of physical and emotional punishment against children, especially in schools and homes. The U.S. Alliance envisions a country where children are loved, valued, respected -- and never hit.
nadid: 29948
UNICEF
3 UN Plaza
New York, New York 10017
Phone: (212) 686-5522
http://www.unicef.org/external link(opens in new window)
UNICEF (UN Children's Agency) Social Norms and Protection of Children from Violence, Child Protection, Programme Division. UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. UNICEF promotes the strengthening of all components of child protection systems - human resources, finances, laws, standards, governance, monitoring, and services.
nadid: 25976
ZERO TO THREE
1255 23rd Street NW
Suite 350
Washington, District of Columbia 20037
Phone: (202) 638-1144
Toll-Free: (800) 899-4301
http://www.zerotothree.orgexternal link(opens in new window)
Zero to Three's mission is to promote the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf. Zero to Three is dedicated to advancing current knowledge, promoting beneficial policies and practices, communicating research and best practices to a wide variety of audiences, and providing training, technical assistance, and leadership development.
nadid: 11037
Prevent Child Abuse in Arizona
Prevent Child Abuse America
Child Abuse Prevention Families Forward Virginia
Monday, May 23, 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Mom arrested after shooting 2 sons in their beds, officials say
Trinh Nguyen, 38, is facing multiple charges after authorities say she shot her two sons, 13 and 9, and tried to shoot her neighbor. As the boys are not expected to survive, it's anticipated Nguyen's charges will be upgraded to homicide.(Source: Bucks County District Attorney's Office)
By Kali O'Rourke
Published: May. 3, 2022 at 3:02 AM MST|Updated: 12 hours ago
UPPER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (Gray News) - A Pennsylvania mother is facing charges after authorities say she shot her two sons and tried to shoot her neighbor. The boys are not expected to survive.
Trinh Nguyen, 38, was arrested in a church parking lot at 11:30 a.m. Monday, hours after the shooting at her home in Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. She faces three counts of attempted homicide, according to Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub.
The incident began when police were dispatched to Nguyen’s home at 7:05 a.m. for a report of an armed subject, said the district attorney’s office in a news release.
Nguyen’s 22-year-old neighbor told police that she handed him a box of photos and asked him to give it to her ex-husband, his co-worker. She then allegedly pulled a gun on him and tried to fire it twice, but the gun did not fire.
The neighbor wrapped Nguyen in a bear hug and disarmed her before she fled the scene, according to the news release.
When police checked Nguyen’s home, they found her two sons, ages 13 and 9, in their beds with gunshot wounds to their heads. Both boys were taken to the hospital, with at least one of them undergoing surgery.
Unfortunately, the boys are not expected to survive. They were being kept on life support Monday night until their organs could be donated, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Nguyen’s charges are then expected to be upgraded to two counts of homicide.
The news release says that when law enforcement found Nguyen at the church, she was also taken to the hospital because she seemed to be under the influence of drugs. Police believe she may have tried to kill herself, the Inquirer reports.
Authorities did not comment on a motive for the shootings, but court records indicate that Nguyen had more than $11,000 in unpaid rent. The family had been ordered to leave their home by Tuesday, according to the Inquirer.
Nguyen was denied bail at her arraignment.
The case is being investigated by Bucks County Detectives and Upper Makefield Township Police.
Sunday, April 24, 2022
RIP Ame Deal
Finding the Girl in the Box: As Ame Deal's Living Hell Ended, It Began for Police Officer
It was a case that decimated a family, shocked a city, haunted hard-nosed cops, helped overhaul a broken child-welfare system, and consumed legal teams for six years. It made executioners of stand-in parents, turned a little girl into a prisoner, and a prisoner into a corpse. Her tormenters, in turn, became the prisoners of the state, and now the condemned.
Yet the case began like so many others: an emergency call to something seemingly very different.
Yet the case began like so many others: an emergency call to something seemingly very different.
Police Officer Albert Salaiz was the first to respond to the call of an injured child in southwest Phoenix.
Salaiz had joined the Phoenix Police Department in 2000 after a long career in the Air Force, flying politicians to Europe. He was working patrol again, after a stint on a squad that took on violent crime syndicates That morning, July 12, 2011, Salaiz left the Estrella Mountain precinct to tell county prosecutors what he knew about a high-profile home invasion involving rival drug gangs, a big shootout and gangsters posing as SWAT teams.
Salaiz had joined the Phoenix Police Department in 2000 after a long career in the Air Force, flying politicians to Europe. He was working patrol again, after a stint on a squad that took on violent crime syndicates That morning, July 12, 2011, Salaiz left the Estrella Mountain precinct to tell county prosecutors what he knew about a high-profile home invasion involving rival drug gangs, a big shootout and gangsters posing as SWAT teams.
Then came the injured-child call. Salaiz was a couple of blocks away, so he went. How could he not? A child in danger. On his beat. All the natural instincts of a veteran cop kicked in.
Albert Salaiz, shown here at another date in his Phoenix PD patrol car, was the first police officer on the scene the day Ame Deal was found murdered.
Courtesy Albert Salaiz
This time, he sprinted from his patrol car to the front door. Just when he reached it, the door suddenly swung open and a Rottweiler charged him. He thought the dog was sure to bite him.
He remembers a woman telling him “Don’t shoot the dog!” The dog backed down.
Salaiz’s adrenaline was pumping. It didn’t strike him until later: The woman was more concerned about the dog that the hurt child he was there to help.
He vaulted a wall and rounded a corner.
That’s when he saw her.
A girl was prone on a carpet in the garage, curled up with her legs near her chest. She had “claw-like hands,” Salaiz recalled.
“Then it hit me. I knew this girl,” he said.
“I never, to this day, will forget what she looked like. That image is ingrained on my mind.”
He’d seen her on the rock-throwing call earlier.
And he already knew she was dead. You just know.
But what Officer Salaiz didn’t know that morning was that Ame Deal’s life ended before it began. She never was granted any real chance to live.
Ame Deal was found dead on July 12, 2011, two weeks shy of her 11th birthday.
She suffocated in a padlocked plastic storage box, soaked in her own urine and sweat.
The last of her killers was sentenced Thursday in Courtroom 5A in Maricopa County Superior Court. John Allen will join his wife, Sammantha, on death row. The Allens are the first married couple in Arizona sentenced to death.
The Allens had turned Ame’s prison into her tomb. With Thursday’s verdict, Ame’s death has entombed the Allens in state prison. Salaiz remains a prisoner to his memories.
In a sense, the Allens themselves had been trapped by a violent, domineering, insular household, with four children when they were just 22 years old. Later, John Allen would tearfully tell the sentencing judge he was sorry and the death was an accident.
Already, three other family members were serving prison sentences from 10 to 24 years for their roles in the torment of Ame, who came to be remembered as "the girl in the box."
The brief and hellish life of Ame Deal was recounted over six years in police and news reports, in court records and action.
“In my entire career, I can’t say I’ve ever seen a worse case,” Judge Erin O’Brien Otis said during Thursday’s court action, admonishing John Allen. “This was one of the most unnecessary deaths of a child I’ve ever seen.”
The girl who wound up in that box was born on July 24, 2000, in Pennsylvania to David and Shirley Deal. It was their third child but, despite legal documents to the contrary, David Deal insisted the girl was not his.
By the time the couple ended up in Texas with David’s large, roving, extended family, Shirley couldn’t take the stress and abuse in the chaotic home anymore. She abandoned her daughter.
The Deals continued to bounce around the country. They stayed for a time in Minnesota, Utah, and different parts of Arizona. Always in the poor parts of town. Always schooled at home. Always keeping to themselves. Always leery of new members of the family. Always disciplining the gaggle of children in their own special way.
In Utah, the state investigated the family for possible child abuse. Those suspicions didn’t follow the family to Arizona.
By the time the Deals replanted themselves in a house near Broadway Road and 35th Avenue, Ame’s cousin Sammantha Allen was caring for her. It was Sammantha’s 20th home in 18 years. She had never gotten past fourth grade.
She took all her cues from her mother, Cynthia Stoltzmann, who was Ame’s legal guardian.
“Her world was small and very isolated and it was dominated by her family,” said her defense attorney, John Curry. “That’s all she knew. That’s all she knew.”
Sammantha knew discipline was a fact of life. And it was harsh. But that’s how you grew up. So when Ame came along, nobody in the house questioned her punishment.
Punishment is the wrong word for it. It came from a wooden paddle named “butt-buster.” Or routine belt lashings. Or when the family made Ame walk barefoot for 15 minutes on the pavement in 114-degree heat, until neighbors saw the fright flash in Ame's blue eyes. Or when John Allen made her put her hands and feet on the floor and arch her back unnaturally for three hours at a time.
When she complained it hurt and collapsed, he’d lift her into the arch again.
Family disciplinarians sometimes made Ame eat hot sauce, but she got used it. So they forced her to eat dog feces.
Ame was treated differently from the half-dozen other kids in the fetid, overcrowded house. Other kids were put in a small chair for a timeout; Ame was sent to the storage box.
The box was a plastic locker 31-by-12-by-14 inches. It had latches to secure the lid. As Ame neared her 11th birthday, she stood just 48 inches tall.
On July 11, 2011, someone in the house said Ame had gone to the freezer and taken a Popsicle without permission.
When the Allens crammed Ame in the box, nobody thought twice. Everybody knew, family members later told police, “Ame lies. Ame steals. Ame needs to be punished.”
Ame weighed less than 60 pounds. She was hungry. She didn’t get the same food the others got. She wasn’t one of their own. Not one of the tribe. Not deserving.
And besides, Ame had been in the box many times before. John Allen would roll and throw the box around with Ame locked inside. Sometimes they’d throw the box, Ame and all, into the swimming pool. Other times, Cynthia Stoltzmann would sit on it while Ame whimpered inside.
The night of July 11, the Allens stuffed Ame into the locker and snapped down the latches.
She’d been known to push on the lid with her feet to get air. The only airways were some small holes under the handles. Otherwise, it was airtight. They put the box in the garage where there was no air-conditioning. The mercury never dipped below 95 that night.
Sammantha warned her husband that the girl could escape. John went to a gate in the back yard, grabbed a padlock, locked the box, and took the key.
The couple had planned to go to bed and check on Ame in an hour. They didn’t.
“I just didn’t get up,” John later told police interrogators.
He could have saved Ame’s life, but it meant so little to him he never had a reason for killing her, county prosecutor Jeannette Gallagher would later explain in court.
The morning after the padlocking, around 8 a.m., when the family went to take Ame out of the box, she wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing.
About half an hour later, someone called 911.
Officer Salaiz was the first cop on the scene. He and other police officers and firefighters arrived to a house that reeked of urine. Used tampons and cockroaches littered the floors. Salaiz doesn’t remember the filth and stench, only what he saw first.
Ame lay on a blue carpet next a wet urine stain. Her lips were the color of the carpet. Her skin was starting to discolor. Her body was twisted unnaturally in the position of a kid play-acting like a dead dog.
Ame wasn’t acting. She was dead.
And treated worse than any junkyard mongrel. Her body was already stiffening. It looked like one of those body casts of ancient Pompeii residents buried in ash. It looked like she’d been trying to push the lid off her plastic coffin.
Salaiz remembers John Allen standing above Ame as a woman tried CPR. Somebody was talking about a hide-and-seek game gone awry. The girl had locked herself in the box. Herself.
Not much later, Salaiz’s sergeant rolled up and asked him what happened.
“I told my supervisor, ‘They fucking killed her.’ He got pissed. ‘You can’t be saying that. You don’t know that for a fact,’ ” Salaiz recalled.
He went to get an initial statement from John Allen, who sat on a swing, acting “like nothing happened.”
Allen said he and his wife went to bed at 1 a.m. as Ame, a 12-year-old and his 3-year-old daughter played hide-and-seek. The next morning they found Ame in the box, dead. The story struck Salaiz as odd. A 3-year-old playing hide and seek at 1 a.m.? Not likely.
Odder still was Allen’s demeanor.
“The was no emotion from him or the grandma, either. That’s what bothered me. There was no emotion,” Salaiz said. “I’d never seen anything like that.”
He had been a cop 11 years.
He went to hear the 12-year-old’s story. She was a few doors down the street. As he walked toward it, Cynthia Stoltzmann walked toward him.
“She said, ‘Yeah, they found Ame dead,’ and she keeps walking past me,” Salaiz recalled.
He didn’t think at the time: How could she know that Ame was dead, minutes after paramedics declared it?
The 12-year-old had the look of a scolded child who didn’t want to be there, and really didn’t want to talk. She stood, stiff as board, never looking Salaiz in the eye, as he asked her what happened.
She told the same story, except for one detail. She went to bed at 9.
“I felt the 12-year-old ... knew what happened. She knew about the box,” Salaiz said.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Ame died of asphyxiation, after suffering heat exhaustion and dehydration. Forensic investigators with the office ruled it a homicide.
But long before those results, on the morning Ame died, John Allen wrote out his thoughts in a spiral notebook.
“Ame found passed away in box. They (the kids) were playing hide-and-go-seek. We believe she fell asleep and suffocated,” he wrote.
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/the-tortured-death-of-ame-deal-and-her-horrid-family-9878749
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