Increase in Child Death Cases in the Four States
By: Jessica Brown
Updated: May 1, 2012
Eddie Salazar's case is just one of several child death cases in the area over the past few years.
11 children were killed in the past 3 years..all of them under the age of 4.
As Chief Bob Baine shows us photos of the little ones in his life...he cant help but reflect on the kids that lost theirs this past year.Chief Baine says, "It's real hard..you got a little baby...it's a little baby. I have grandchildren, children, it's real hard to deal with."
One of the most recent cases he worked on was in Commerce, Oklahoma.
20 month old Alice Baker died in this home under the care of Donevon Harris...
Chief Baine says, "The baby wouldn't mind him that was his excuse for hurting that child."
He was the boyfriend of the child's mother.
Chief Baine says, "The biggest problem is women meeting guys and don't know anything about them..they're there for the love of the woman, not the love of the child."
And Baker is one of four children killed in the past few years in Ottawa and Delaware County.
Chief Baine says, "It's the most I've seen."
The largest number he's seen in his 31 years of service.
Freeman Emergency Physician Kathryn Cornelius MD says, "Anytime I hear a child has been abused I take a step back."
Dr. Kathryn Cornelius at Freeman Health System says when babies come in the ER...it's always devastating.
Dr. Cornelius says, "It takes awhile for us to recover when a child comes in injured accidentally or intentionally."
She says the outbreak of child deaths in the Four States due to abuse might have to do with the parents age.
Dr. Cornelius says, "It's getting younger and younger...kids are having kids...they tend to not be as patient..
And it just so happens some of the abusers in several of the cases over the past year have been under the age of 25.
Dr. Cornelius says, "There are economic stressors, relationship stressors.
It's a growing problem that hopefully will turn around with a little awareness.
Dr. Cornelius says, "Children ..are helpless..its our role as parents, physicians, educators, to protect those children.
All 11 children died from some sort of child abuse. Many of these cases are still ongoing in the Four States.
Dr. Cornelius says more than 60% of children that are abused are under the age of 1 and about 80% under the age of 3.
Dr. Cornelius gives advice to new parents saying if you have a crying baby that just won't stop just take a step back and breathe ..let the baby cry.
