Child Abduction Response Team

Some interesting news from Orlando regarding the forming of what is being called the Child Abduction Response Team, or CART for short:

It was images in 2004 of Carlie Brucia, 11, being abducted from a Sarasota car wash and news of her murder that finally had an agent with the Florida Department of Enforcement saying enough is enough, Forbes reported.

The agent formed a new kind of task force to deal with missing and kidnapped children called the Child Abduction Response Team or CART.

The force is made up of dozens of specialists whose only job is to find missing children.

"Forty-four percent of the children that are abducted by a predator are killed within approximately one hour," Palm Bay police Maj. John Blackledge said

Blackledge is part of Brevard County’s CART unit.

"In many cases of a missing child where there is malicious intent and where they’ve been abducted by a predator, it is highly likely we will find that child either alive or dead within one or two miles from the original point that they have been abducted from," Blackledge said.

Statistics also show that 74 percent of children were killed with in three hours of their disappearance, 91 percent were killed within 24 hours and 99 percent were killed within seven days, Forbes reported.

The CART team was successful in the discovery of a Winter Garden girl who was abducted in 2004, Forbes reported. Her abductor, Brent Mackinder was arrested and convicted.

In 15 of 19 times the CART team has been activated, they have been successful in finding a child they said would have been killed otherwise.

"Minutes make a difference," Blackledge said. "Minutes may save a life."

 

False Reporting

Faking a report of a missing child is no laughing matter, as a man in Burlington, Vermont found out recently. From Boston.com:

Burlington police say a 28-year-old man is in jail after being charged with making a false report about an abducted child.

Jeremiah Smith of South Burlington was arrested Sunday.

Officers from at least five agencies scoured a section of Burlington late Saturday and went door to door looking for information after receiving the report of the possible abduction.

But no one was reported missing and police said they had only one witness to the alleged abduction.

If convicted of the crime of false public alarm, Smith could be sentenced to up to two years in prison.

No word on when Smith will make his first court appearance.

 

Window Hazards

A great tip from WSAW.com regarding precocious toddlers and the hazards of windows in the home:

About 2.5 million children are injured or killed each year because of hazards in homes, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The good news is, there are precautions parents can take to keep their kids safe.

A local child care provider says being constantly aware of where your child is, is vitally important.

But in the case of the Schofield child who fell out of a window Wednesday, there are products available that can prevent such accidents.

Wausau Child Care Executive Director Jen Kowalski says it’s important to realize that a simple, removable window screen will not hold a child.

She says on the market, consumers can find window guards, similar to safety gates; window stoppers, that will keep a window from openign too far; and window netting, that will allow for air in the room and is strong enough to hold a child.

Kowalski says children are capable of exceptional things.

"A toddler can surprise you. One day they can’t do something and the next day they can and so just remembering what stage your child is in development, and you know are they getting to the point where they’re starting to crawl out of their crib or open up doors," she said.

Kowalski says besides dangerous windows: doors, cribs, ovens and even dishwashers pose a potential risk.

Turning your back for just a second is enough time for your child to get seriously hurt. That’s why she says you should check out all the child safety products available.

 

Google Street View Questionable?

Is Google Street View really something to worry about? It is according to children’s advocacy group Stop Child Predators. The group aims to educate the public on technology available on the internet that may compromise a child’s safety. High on that list is Google’s Street View application, which allows users to view actual photographs of just about any building in the country.

A special focus of the campaign is devoted to a particularly alarming technology provided by Google maps. As part of the launch, Ms. Rumenap is featured in a video on www.StopInternetPredators.org, which shows how the Google "Street View" application allows Internet users to view high resolution pictures of homes, schools, and in some cases, children playing outside, simply by typing in a local address.

"This technology shows anyone in the world our communities, and exposes not only the routes from the bus stops to homes, but our children, without ever stepping foot in our neighborhoods," said Ms. Rumenap.

If you are interested in more information on the organization, visit their website.

 

Retail BPA Ban

Much has been made recently about the use of the plastic chemical bisphenol-A (also known as BPA) in a myriad of different products, especially baby bottles. In the wake of research claiming that BPA isn’t safe, Wal-Mart, CVS, and Toys ‘R Us have decided to pull all baby bottles made with BPA off of their shelves. Animal studies show that small doses of BPA have been linked to cancer and other health problems, so why hasn’t something been done sooner?

BPA is everywhere, used to make polycarbonate, a rigid, clear plastic for bottles, bike helmets, DVDs and car headlights. It’s also an ingredient in epoxy resins, which coat the inside of food and drink cans. About 93% of Americans tested by the Centers for Disease Control had the chemical in their urine.

If opponents drive BPA out of the food supply, consumers will pay. Some BPA-free plastic bottles sell for $10 each, more than twice the price of bottles with BPA. Baby bottles made of glass can break, potentially causing injury. Replacing BPA in the lining of cans would mean retooling all that packaging, and it’s not clear that there are safe alternatives.

 

Social Networking Safety

Does your child use a social networking site that you don’t know about? One mother in Columbia, Missouri discovered her daughter was using social networking site MySpace without her knowledge, which included questionable material on the child’s page. Is this something that all parents should be concerned with?

But local authorities say that a little sneaking around can become very dangerous when it involves the Internet. Social networking sites often attract adult predators who share and solicit inappropriate materials and attempt to set up in-person meetings with kids.

"Internet safety is as important in Columbia, Mo., as it is in New York, N.Y.," said James Finch, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, who spoke about the topic this spring at Lange Middle School. "The FBI is working every day to protect Americans no matter where they live."

It is important to remember to monitor all of your child’s activities when it comes to technology, including what they may be downloading off the internet as well as who they are conversing with on their cell phones. Staying up to date on technology is a great way to ensure that your child is as safe as possible.

 

Alarming Drowning Statistics

The Dallas Morning News reports on the alarming statistic that drowning is the second leading cause of death that is injury related in children ages 1 to 14. Just why is the statistic so high?

Pools are more accessible to children. Parents have a false sense of security about their ability to keep track of youngsters. And they are under the mistaken impression that children splash and scream when they are struggling, when actually they slip under the water noiselessly, experts said.

“In home pools, people get really comfortable with their surroundings, and so you kind of let your guard down a little bit,” said Claudia Romo, a health educator at Children’s Medical Center.

The Children’s Medical Center in Dallas has partnered with the YMCA and the American Red Cross to teach parents about the safety issues surrounding their children and water accidents known as the “Know Before You Go” program. If you live in the area, check with any of those organizations to inquire about participating.

 

States Fight Back

States are becoming more proactive about child protection laws, especially when it comes to the internet. New Hampshire is the latest state to take on the issue of sexual predators online and has passed legislation to help protect the state’s children.

"We want to send a very clear message to those who might be tempted to lure our young people over the Internet: Stay out of New Hampshire. The Online Child Safety Act modernizes our laws to help protect children from the threats of the 21st century," Gov. Lynch said. "While the Internet holds tremendous opportunity for New Hampshire’s children, it also has the potential to be a dangerous place for kids, and this law will help protect them."

The Online Child Safety Act further builds on the Child Protection Act which the state passed in 2006 to better protect children from sexual predators who target them over the internet. The addendums to the law close many loopholes and strengthen other
penalties included.

 

Child Seat Laws May Vary

With many people traveling by car with their families this summer, it is very important to remember that when you are crossing state lines, many laws change as they pertain to driving, especially those surrounding car seat laws. Michigan for instance just passed a law requiring children up to age 8 to be restrained in a booster seat, whereas neighboring Ohio does not have the same law.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm in March signed a new law, which took effect July 1, requiring most children up to the age of 8 to be in a safety seat while riding in a vehicle. Whether its a high-back or no-back booster, one of the two forms of the child safety seat must be used for children who have outgrown their infant or convertible seats, but are not yet 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall (which ever comes first).

"Adult-sized safety belts do not fit children properly," Readett said, which is one of the main reasons why Michigan decided to join about 40 other states with a similar law.

In Ohio, children up to 4 years old and 40 pounds must be securely fastened in a child safety seat while riding in a vehicle.

 

If you are going to be traveling with small children in the car, be sure to research the specific laws of the states you are going to to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

 

Double Up

In a new bill this week, President Bush reauthorized the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children through 2013 while also doubling the budget of the organization to $40 million a year. The center is one of the keystone organization to help bring home missing children safely.

The measure passed through the Senate unanimously, in the House it passed with a 408 to 3 vote. “The funding we have provided will increase resources for law enforcement to capture, prosecute and incarcerate the worst of criminals that work to harm our children," U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson said. Previously the center received $20 million a year. The new bill touts several improvements that will allow the Center to better coordinate with Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. A new branch, the National Emergency Child Locator Center, will be established to help find children in times of natural disasters.

The article also quotes some very positive facts, such as the great stat that 97 percent of children reported missing are found and the center has seen the recovery rate of missing children increase 35 percent in the last 18 years. With law enforcement working together at all levels, missing children have a better chance of being returned.