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I’ve been covering the Childs court case since May, but I’m only writing about it now, at the conclusion of the trial. (See accompanying story.)
The details of this particular case are so troubling that Managing Editor Darrin Clark and I have had multiple conversations about how to write this story so that a general overview of the facts can be presented to our readers without overwhelming our readers with all the disturbing details. We also decided to leave many details out of our story in order to protect the victim’s identity while still holding her abusers publicly accountable.
Speaking of the now-teenage victim, I didn’t like the idea of calling her “the victim” — she was victimized for nearly a decade of her childhood, but I didn’t want to define her solely by what others did to her. For some advice, I reached out to Lori Kirkhoff, executive director of Ionia Montcalm Secure & Friendly Environment Child Advocacy Center (more commonly known as IM SAFE CAC) in Fenwick. The agency provides services to local children 17 and younger who have been sexually or physically abused, human trafficked or exploited over the internet.
Kirkhoff suggested I refer to the teen as “survivor,” which I thought was appropriate. This teen is a survivor of unimaginable horrors and I hope she is able to spend the rest of her adolescent years in a safe place and find happiness and make a new life for herself.
I told Kirkhoff this was one of the more disturbing court cases I’ve covered and asked her how it compares to the situations she sees while on the job.
“The William Childs case is a very sad case, I agree, but unfortunately, these are the normal types of cases we see daily at the IM SAFE CAC,” Kirkhoff said.
Kirkhoff said while cases like these are heartbreaking for the children involved, she commended the multi-disciplinary team at her agency which provides services and collaboration in these situations. She said the specific team for the Childs case is being recognized as November’s IM SAFE CAC Heroes and includes Montcalm County Prosecutor Andrea Krause (who prosecuted the Childs trial), Montcalm County Sheriff’s Det. Ken Butts, Department of Health & Human Services Child Protective Services Investigator Samantha VanOchten, Ongoing Worker Lindsey Leak and Children’s Services Specialist/Foster Care Tasha Welch, IM SAFE CAC forensic interviewers Kaitlyn Krueger and Christy Harter, IM SAFE CAC Family Advocate Amanda Lange and yes, even canine advocate Alfred, who sat by the survivor in court while she testified.
“This team was dedicated to these children from the beginning when it was first reported,” Kirkhoff said. “Thanks to wonderful Montcalm County Prosecutor Andrea Krause, the children were able to find some justice and thanks to our multi-disciplinary team, they are not only safe but well on the way to healing from these traumatic events. This is what we strive for with every case that comes through the IM SAFE CAC.”
I asked Kirkhoff whether her agency is seeing an increase or decrease in child abuse numbers in recent years. She said her agency saw a decrease during the COVID pandemic in 2020 (which happens to be the year the abuse escalated in the Childs case, due in large part I’m sure to the survivor being pulled out of school for three years by her “caretakers”), and the agency is slowly seeing an increase back to the numbers averaged in 2019.
IM SAFE CAC served 303 children in 2019, but that number dropped to 231 children in 2020.
“Schools were closed, kids were at home and the numbers drastically declined — still happening, but unable to report to school staff who usually make a lot of reports on their behalf,” Kirkhoff noted.
The numbers began increasing again — 244 children in 2021, 254 children in 2022 and this year to date, 276 children have been served by the agency.
Lastly, I asked Kirkhoff how community members can prevent child abuse from occurring, or at least put a stop to it early. She said the best way to prevent child abuse is for more people to recognize the signs of abuse and report it. (See accompanying info box below.)
IM SAFE CAC offers classes to the community called “Stewards of Children: Darkness to Light” training. The next class is being offered virtually on Dec. 4. You can register for the two and a half hour class (for $16) here.
IM SAFE CAC also offers one-hour training sessions for businesses to offer to their employees. Call Kirkhoff at (616) 225-7267 or email lkirkhoff@imsafecac.org for more information.
To report a case of suspected child abuse, call (855) 444-3911. Anyone can also call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or text “Light” to 741741 to ask abuse-related questions or to speak with a trained crisis counselor. All conversations are confidential.
“The more we get the word out in our community and get everyone educated on the signs of abuse and how to report it, the better chance we have of stopping child abuse,” Kirkhoff summarized.
A closer look at child abuse: How to identify it and how to help
Any intentional harm or mistreatment to a child younger than 18 years old is considered child abuse. Child abuse takes many forms, which often occur at the same time.
A child who’s being abused may feel guilty, ashamed or confused. The child may be afraid to tell anyone about the abuse, especially if the abuser is a parent, other relative or family friend. That’s why it’s vital to watch for red flags, such as:
• Withdrawal from friends or usual activities.
• Changes in behavior — such as aggression, anger, hostility or hyperactivity — or changes in school performance.
• Depression, anxiety or unusual fears, or a sudden loss of self-confidence.
• Sleep problems and nightmares.
• An apparent lack of supervision.
• Frequent absences from school.
• Rebellious or defiant behavior.
• Self-harm or attempts at suicide.
Specific signs and symptoms depend on the type of abuse and can vary. Keep in mind that warning signs are just that — warning signs. The presence of warning signs doesn’t necessarily mean that a child is being abused.
Sexual abuse signs and symptoms include:
• Sexual behavior or knowledge that’s inappropriate for the child’s age.
• Pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection.
• Genital or anal pain, bleeding or injury.
• Statements by the child that he or she was sexually abused.
• Inappropriate sexual behavior with other children.
Sometimes a parent’s demeanor or behavior sends red flags about child abuse. Warning signs include a parent who:
• Shows little concern for the child.
• Appears unable to recognize physical or emotional distress in the child.
• Blames the child for the problems.
• Consistently belittles or berates the child, and describes the child with negative terms, such as “worthless” or “evil.”
• Expects the child to provide attention and care to the parent and seems jealous of other family members getting attention from the child.
• Uses harsh physical discipline.
• Demands an inappropriate level of physical or academic performance.
• Severely limits the child’s contact with others.
• Offers conflicting or unconvincing explanations for a child’s injuries or no explanation at all.
• Repeatedly brings the child for medical evaluations or requests medical tests, such as X-rays and lab tests, for concerns not seen during the health care provider’s examination.
• Physical punishment
If you’re concerned that a child has been abused, seek help immediately. Depending on the situation, contact the child’s health care provider, a local child welfare agency, the police department or a 24-hour hotline for advice. Call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
You can take important steps to protect your child from exploitation and child abuse, as well as prevent child abuse in your neighborhood or community. The goal is to provide safe, stable, nurturing relationships for children.
Here’s how you can help keep children safe:
• Offer your child love and attention. Nurture and listen to your child and be involved in your child’s life to develop trust and good communication. Encourage your child to tell you if there’s a problem. A supportive family environment and social networks can help improve your child’s feelings of self-esteem and self-worth.
• Don’t respond in anger. If you feel overwhelmed or out of control, take a break. Don’t take out your anger on your child. Talk with your health care provider or a therapist about ways you can learn to cope with stress and better interact with your child.
• Think supervision. Don’t leave a young child home alone. In public, keep a close eye on your child. Volunteer at school and for activities to get to know the adults who spend time with your child. When old enough to go out without supervision, encourage your child to stay away from strangers and to hang out with friends rather than be alone. Make it a rule that your child tells you where he or she is at all times. Find out who’s supervising your child — for example, at a sleepover.
• Know your child’s caregivers. Check references for babysitters and other caregivers. Make irregular, but frequent, unannounced visits to observe what’s happening. Don’t allow substitutes for your usual child care provider if you don’t know the substitute.
• Emphasize when to say no. Make sure your child understands that he or she doesn’t have to do anything that seems scary or uncomfortable. Encourage your child to leave a threatening or frightening situation immediately and seek help from a trusted adult. If something happens, encourage your child to talk to you or another trusted adult about what happened. Assure your child that it’s OK to talk and that he or she won’t get in trouble.
• Teach your child how to stay safe online. Put the computer in a common area of your home, not the child’s bedroom. Use the parental controls to restrict the types of websites your child can visit. Check your child’s privacy settings on social networking sites. Consider it a red flag if your child is secretive about online activities. Cover online ground rules, such as not sharing personal information; not responding to inappropriate, hurtful or frightening messages; and not arranging to meet an online contact in person without your permission. Tell your child to let you know if an unknown person makes contact through a social networking site. Report online harassment or inappropriate senders to your service provider and local authorities, if necessary.
• Reach out. Meet the families in your neighborhood, including parents and children. Develop a network of supportive family and friends. If a friend or neighbor seems to be struggling, offer to babysit or help in another way. Consider joining a parent support group so that you have an appropriate place to vent your frustrations.
If you’re concerned that you might abuse your child, seek help immediately. Get information and assistance by calling or texting the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).
Or you can start by talking with your family health care provider. Your provider may offer a referral to a parent education class, counseling or a support group for parents to help you learn appropriate ways to deal with your anger. If you’re misusing alcohol or drugs, ask your health care provider about treatment options.
If you were abused as a child, get counseling to ensure you don’t continue the abuse cycle or teach those destructive behaviors to your child.
Source: Mayo Clinic
