Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In St. Paul, Minnesota and other States throughout the nation, there is a need for foster parents for children who have been put into the state system due to child neglect, child abuse, child abandonment, and other poor to non-existent parenting from a child’s biological parents. In St. Paul, Minnesota, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Minnesota, a non-profit organization for abused and neglected children, placed 185 cardboard cut outs of children on the lawn of the State of Minnesota capital. The organization put out 185 cutouts to represent the same number of children that are placed in the Minnesota foster care system every day. Foster children rely on the State of Minnesota government for their health, safety, and welfare. Funding is always an important issue. In addition, there is always a need for volunteers and foster care parents to help with these most deserving children. You can read more about this story at Cardboard Cutouts of Children Placed to Raise Foster Children Awareness.
In North Dakota and other States, child abuse and neglect comes in all different types and forms. Law enforcement officials in Bismarck, North Dakota are prosecuting a woman who allegedly breast fed her child while she was under the influence / drunk from alcohol. At the time of the breast feeding incident, the child was 6 weeks old. The mother (Stacey Anvarinia) is 27 years old and represented by a North Dakota attorney. Ms. Anvarinia’s attorney stated that no blood was taken at the time of the arrest. In criminal cases of this nature, the Defendant is entitled to representation and it is the State’s burden to prove the case. According to the prosecutor, alcohol was not the only factor in the prosecution of this case.
In Maine, working parents and caregivers place their children in day care centers with both the hope and expectation that their children will be properly cared for. Day care center owners, administrators, and staff have the duty to supervise the children and protect their health, safety, and welfare. Unfortunately, some day care owners, administrators, and staff take advantage of this position of trust and use it to harm, molest, assault, and / or batter children. In Glenburn, Maine, a day care owner did just that. Ronald Earl Tewhey, age 49, was sentenced for his crimes against children. Mr. Tewhey molested a 10 year old girl who was a student at the day care center. He also molested a 17 year old girl as well.
Clackamas County, Oregon deputies arrested Justin B. Blackledge, age 31, for compelling a teen into prostitution, unlawful display of a child in a sex act and several counts of encouraging child sex abuse. Investigators report that Blackledge had a sexual relationship with the teenager in 2007 – 2008. During this time period, Blackledge posted explicit photographs of the teen on a website with the teen’s contact information and a list of her sexual services. There appears to be a good bit of evidence on the internet and elsewhere on Mr. Blackledge. His bail was set at $250,000. It is a shame that teens are exploited in this manner.
In Ohio and Other States, the proper supervision of children is vital to their health, safety, education, and welfare. In Cincinnnati, Ohio, a mother (Jenna Martin – Age 38) was arrested after her 4 year old toddler was found wandering the streets two miles from home. The little girl was found by police officers at approximately midnight. When the police went to Ms. Martin’s home, they found Ms. Martin’s 5 year old son home alone.
Investigators have turned over video surveillance and other evidence showing that two adults provided alcohol to a minor who later died from an alcohol overdose. Perry McClenahan, age 16, died from an alcohol overdose on April 18, 2009. Perry and other minors were provided with alcohol by adults. The minors attended Lebanon High School. Video surveillance from the store where the alcohol was purchased along with the receipt will serve as evidence in an expected criminal prosecution of this matter.
In Missouri and other States around the nation, it appears that more and more stories are being reported about female teachers having inappropriate (sexual) relationships with male students. Some believe that these situations are different from male teachers having a relationship with a female or a male student. I disagree. Teachers are put in a position of trust with students. Teachers are not placed into schools to hit on or pick up students like at a singles bar. Teachers are there to supervise and educate our children – not have sex with them. In St. Louis (Breckenridge Hills), Missouri, an investigation is under way regarding a Special School District teacher who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a 17 year old male student at Ritenour High School. See 
Michigan authorities are conducting an investigation regarding the death of a 9 year old quadraplegic girl. Tragically, her body was found inside a public storage facility.
The Dekalb County (Decatur) School Board – Georgia will review an anti-bullying policy following the suicide death of an 11 year old boy. Jareem Harrera hung himself on April 16. He told his parents that he was upset after being teased for “talking funny” and “being gay”. Tragically, Jareem was found by another family member after Jareem hung himself. The policy that was in place at the school required teachers to report instances of bullying and that three instances / incidents would be sufficient to get the violating student expelled.
Sadly, it is difficult to know who is trustworthy and who is not when it comes to bad acts. In California, a former police officer and radio show host was arrested on charges of child pornography and production of child pornography. The facts of this story unraveled like a television movie. Aaron Aldridge, age 42, was a radio personality on WNTK in New London, New Hampshire. A family member became concerned over his disappearance along with the disappearance of his 19 year old daughter. Police were contacted and searched his belongings including a computer. Investigators found pornographic images on the computer. Some of the images / videos appeared to be from Aldridge’s home.