Fot The Children

A child abuse case was made public last week that occurred in my home town of Rush Springs. I was sickened by what was reported and want to take this column to remind Oklahomans of their obligation under the law to report suspicions of abuse or neglect.

According to news reports, five adults allegedly tormented a teenaged boy with disabilities over an extended period of time with acts that can only be described as vile and depraved. Early reports suggest the child was burned with lit cigarettes, sprayed with dangerous chemicals, stabbed with needles and generally starved. News reports also indicate the child was forced to urinate in his own clothes and that the adults had forcibly ripped out large patches of his hair.

This nightmare ended for this young man only when the boy’s teacher reported the suspected abuse to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, which then alerted the Grady County Sheriff’s Office. The alleged abusers are now in custody.

I hope this case serves as a reminder: abusive living situations often end if and only if they are reported by the public. All of us have a responsibility to report suspected abuse, and our laws reflect that responsibility.

In 2018, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) successfully advocated for the passage of HB 2259, authored by Rep. Dell Kerbs and Sen. Ron Sharp. Prior to this law, individuals were required to “promptly” report a suspected case of child abuse or neglect. We agreed with the authors that “immediately” made better sense.

Reports are to be made to the Department of Human Services hotline at 1-800-522-3511. Also, remember that DHS is as understaffed and overburdened as any other state agency, and it is unlikely that they will be able to immediately respond to every situation where a child is facing imminent harm. In situations where you believe a child will be facing an imminent threat, call 911 in addition to DHS to ensure the safety of the child.

Everyone is required to take action if there is a suspicion. This includes school employees, church leaders, daycare operators, neighbors, and especially family members – anyone suspecting an issue of suspected abuse or neglect needs to immediately report it to the proper authorities.

The Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), via their website, reports that their Legal Department annually receives many calls regarding child abuse issues. They have outlined that it is important for teachers or administrators to not assess credibility of an issue; it is simply to report.

Previously there have been reports from school staff members who have been instructed by administrators just to tell the counselor or not to report the incident, which necessitated HB2259. I will emphasize that anyone who has suspicions of abuse or neglect has the obligation to report immediately under the law and no administrator can lawfully direct a teacher or staff member to do otherwise. In addition, whether it is first hand, third hand, written on a bathroom stall, or an anonymous phone call – it is required to report the alleged abuse. Every person “having reason to believe” a child is being abused must report it, and it is not the individual’s right to assess the credibility of the source. That is up to investigators.

Please help preserve safety for our youngest Oklahomans. You might be the only one who can save the life of a child. Please follow the law and make a report.