Home! Little girl separated from her brother calls to say 'wish you were here'

Bouncing happily on her bed in a thatched cottage, surrounded by dolls, soft toys and pictures of her father and brother, little Alice Simpson giggled in delight as she played with her young relatives on the first day of her new life in England.

The six-year-old’s infectious laughter marked the end of an extraordinary 5,000-mile journey from a grim and backward city in north-west China to a picture-postcard village in Suffolk, where she will tomorrow enrol in a Church of England school.

But as The Mail on Sunday revealed last week, behind the smiles lies a secret heartache. Alice flew to Britain from China on Friday with her grandparents Ian and Linda – but the pair were forced to take the agonising decision to leave behind her eight-year-old brother Jack.

More >> Home! Little girl separated from her brother calls to say 'wish you were here' after their grandparents won the right to bring her back from China but had to leave him behind with the family of the jailed woman who murdered his father

Foster parent charged with 100 counts of child pornography possession: ‘I just like to look’

Police arrested a Utah man Thursday after searching his home and finding over 100 pictures and videos of child pornography on his cellphone.

Police also charged 57-year-old John Kimble with 20 counts of voyeurism after he admitted to filming three of his foster children without their knowledge or permission, according to charging documents. He is also charged with three counts of child sexual abuse and 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for manufacturing child pornography.

More >> Foster parent charged with 100 counts of child pornography possession: ‘I just like to look’

• Foster parent arrested after hiding recording devices in the bathroom of his home

Man calls for new adoption law after late-life leak leads to heartbreaking ordeal

A BRADFORD man is calling for a new law on adoption to be put in place, after only finding out the reality of his own situation at the age of 49 following a confidential leak.

More >> Man calls for new adoption law after late-life leak leads to heartbreaking ordeal

Madhya Pradesh: Rescued ‘trafficked’ kids handed over for foster care to families who bought them illegally

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has taken cognizance of inter state child trafficking racket case that was busted a few months ago in Alirajpur. In its letter, the commission has stated that the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a multi- state child sale racket from its partner organization, Aawaj, working in Madhya Pradesh for child rights.

More >> Madhya Pradesh: Rescued ‘trafficked’ kids handed over for foster care to families who bought them illegally

Idaho social worker who didn’t report abuse of her child still licensed to practice

Melinda S. Maloney, a licensed social worker in Idaho, told a judge in early November that she learned her daughter was being sexually abused by her second husband, but she did not report it to police.

Dr. Craig Maloney, a Boise veterinarian, was sentenced in October to 40 years in prison, including 10 years before he’s eligible for parole.

More >> Idaho social worker who didn’t report abuse of her child still licensed to practice

Parents in Pennsylvania sue school board over plan to arm teachers

Parents are going to court to block a Pennsylvania school district from allowing teachers to carry guns in school, the latest flashpoint in a debate playing out in many states over whether it’s wise to arm educators to protect students from mass shootings.

The district in Tamaqua, a coal-mining region about 90 miles from Philadelphia, serves more than 2,100 students in three schools and is believed to be the first school system in Pennsylvania to let teachers carry weapons.

More >> Parents in Pennsylvania sue school board over plan to arm teachers

State police arrest suspended lawyer accused of threatening R.I. judge

A suspended lawyer was released on personal recognizance Friday after a state police detective told a judge that the man had sent threatening emails to the Supreme Court’s chief disciplinary counsel, writing that he should have “bombed that place” and that a Supreme Court justice should “just be shot in the face.”

More >> State police arrest suspended lawyer accused of threatening R.I. judge

Editorial: Florida’s foster care system needs money, attention

One child said she bounced between so many homes "you don't even want to unpack." Others carted their belongings in trash bags, not sure from week to week or month to month where they would bunk for the night. This has been the reality for thousands of Florida children, who were brought into foster care as a temporary protection from an unsafe home. But many of these children were further traumatized by a safety net that didn't serve them or society. Florida's foster care system needs more money, more attention and more accountability - a priority the incoming governor, Ron DeSantis, should set for his new administration.

More >> Editorial: Florida’s foster care system needs money, attention

Mum reunites with daughter 17 years after putting her up for adoption

In the midst of the backstage madness, 13-year-old Evie turned to her mum Gina and remarked that the girl sitting in the front row of the dress rehearsal looked a lot like her biological sister.

The US mum hardly looked up – she was crazy busy and it wasn’t the first time one of her kids thought they spotted the daughter she had given up for adoption17 years earlier.

More >> Mum reunites with daughter 17 years after putting her up for adoption

Authorities failed to notice brutal abuse of 3-yr-old despite visiting house three times just days before her death

Five whole years after three-year-old toddler Kayleigh Slusher was tortured and then murdered by her mother and her mother's boyfriend, the child's relatives will be receiving $5 million in a wrongful death lawsuit. The settlement was announced on January 2 and it calls for the city as well as the county of Napa, California, to each shell out $2.5 million to Jason Slusher, the toddler's father, and Robin and Benny Slusher, her grandparents.

The city wrote in a statement: "Kayleigh Slusher’s death was a terrible tragedy. The City and County of Napa have committed to doing everything in their power to prevent and protect other children from suffering child abuse and neglect."

More >> Authorities failed to notice brutal abuse of 3-yr-old despite visiting house three times just days before her death

Parents Give Up Custody of Their Son So He Can Receive Costly Medical Treatment

When Jim and Toni Hoy’s adopted son Daniel began showing signs of severe mental illness, they were willing to do anything to get him help. And in their case, that meant relinquishing custody of the then-12-year-old so he could receive the necessary medical treatment that was too expensive for the Hoys to afford, even with insurance.

“To this day, it’s the most gut-wrenching thing I’ve ever had to do in my life,” dad Jim says of the day he told Daniel that they were turning him over to the state. “I was crying terribly. But it was the only way we figured we could keep the family safe.”

More >> Parents Give Up Custody of Their Son So He Can Receive Costly Medical Treatment

More homeschool oversight hurts families, does nothing to protect kids, says national advocate

As one of 11 states that does not require homeschooling parents and their children to have any contact with state or local education officials, Michigan’s approach to homeschool oversight is one of the most relaxed in the nation.

On yesterday's show, we talked about concerns that lax regulation allows some parents to conceal abuse and neglect at home.

More >> More homeschool oversight hurts families, does nothing to protect kids, says national advocate

Child porn charges for man living where CPS foster child died

One adult is in custody tonight on charges of possession of child pornography from a home in Forney where an infant foster child died unexpectedly December 29.

Christian S. Richmond, 19, was booked into the Kaufman County jail this morning on possession of child pornography where he awaits arraignment according to jail records. Law enforcement officials confirm to inForney.com that his address is the same home where an infant in CPS foster care died unexpectedly early Saturday morning.

More >> Child porn charges for man living where CPS foster child died

Toddler separated from father by US officials after mother is killed in Tijuana

After he lost his green card following a felony conviction and was deported to Mexico, Sergio Angel Martinez Lopez thought he would never come back to the U.S.

More >> Toddler separated from father by US officials after mother is killed in Tijuana

Report: Oklahoma DHS Shows Improvements, But Still Failing To Protect Children

The new report says DHS shows improvement in reforming the state's foster care system. However, the Co-Neutral report also says DHS is still failing in a number of areas, including protecting children in their care.

The reports are issued every six months as part of settlement of a federal lawsuit. The Co-Neutrals are charged with overseeing reforms mandated in the settlement.

More >> Report: Oklahoma DHS Shows Improvements, But Still Failing To Protect Children

'STOP THAT KID YELLING' Mum of autistic boy, 7, finds furious note from neighbour threatening to report her to social services

THE mother of an autistic boy woke up in the New Year to find a furious note from her neighbour threatening to report her to social services if her son didn't stop yelling.

Solo mum-of-three Ana Gray, 28, found the note in the letter box of her home in Napier, New Zealand.

More >> 'STOP THAT KID YELLING' Mum of autistic boy, 7, finds furious note from neighbour threatening to report her to social services

To Get Mental Health Help For A Child, Desperate Parents Relinquish Custody

When Toni and Jim Hoy adopted their son Daniel through the foster care system, he was an affectionate toddler. They did not plan to give him back to the state of Illinois, ever.

"Danny was this cute, lovable little blond-haired, blue-eyed baby," Jim says.

More >> To Get Mental Health Help For A Child, Desperate Parents Relinquish Custody

6-year-old girl hit by car on KC highway strayed from foster home at least twice

A 6-year-old girl had run from a state foster home for at least the second time shortly before Christmas when she was hit by a car at night on U.S. 40 and suffered life-threatening injuries, Kansas City police said.

Just 10 days before the accident off Phelps Road, patrons at a biker bar on the same corner called police to come get the girl, whom they had found wandering in the dark along the four-lane highway.

More >> 6-year-old girl hit by car on KC highway strayed from foster home at least twice

NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED TO AID CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS

Georgia’s child welfare chief announced a new agreement Wednesday with the Consulate General of Mexico to help protect children whose parents get detained or deported due to immigration issues.

Children of those immigrants sometimes end up in Georgia’s foster care system. The Mexican consulate in Atlanta had pushed for an agreement to make sure that the consulate is made aware of the cases and can help facilitate reuniting parents and children when that’s deemed appropriate.

More >> NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED TO AID CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS

Editorial: Crisis in Virginia's foster care system

VIRGINIA’S FOSTER care system is failing many of the vulnerable children it is supposed to be protecting.

A scathing report from state auditors finds that too many of the approximately 5,300 Virginia children in foster care face what should be avoidable risks to their health and safety. Virginia is one of the worst states in the nation for a child to wind up in foster care.

Fortunately, the report also includes specific recommendations for improvement — recommendations that should be high on the General Assembly’s priority list when it gets to work in January.

There are valid reasons why it’s difficult for governmental agencies to remove children from their families. When, for whatever reason, a child is placed in the care of social services, the state has the responsibility to make sure that child is safe, secure and receiving all appropriate physical and mental health services.

More >> Editorial: Crisis in Virginia's foster care system

Ex-teacher accused of contacting her foster child after alleged rape

A former middle school teacher in North Carolina accused of having a sexual relationship with her foster child is facing new charges after allegedly reaching out to the boy again on social media, sheriff officials said.

Christina Davis Jolly, 43, of Statesville, was arrested Thursday after violating pretrial release conditions in connection with the five counts of statutory rape of a child she faces following her arrest in August, the Statesville Record & Landmark reports.

More >> Ex-teacher accused of contacting her foster child after alleged rape

The stolen children: 'Hundreds' of babies were taken from their mothers to be adopted in Sweden...

Hundreds of the at least 8,000 children that the Chilean government fear were stolen from their parents and trafficked out of the country to be adopted in Western nations during the Pinochet dictatorship were taken to Sweden.

They have grown up in well-heeled suburbs outside the Swedish capital, in big cities and small towns all over the country, believing that they were abandoned by their mothers in infancy.

More >> The stolen children: 'Hundreds' of babies were taken from their mothers to be adopted in Sweden...

Lapses by child welfare body blamed for sexual abuse of 13-yr-old girl by foster father in Assam

India’s apex agency for adoptions has faulted the child welfare committee (CWC) of Assam’s Cachar district for the continued sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl, allegedly at the hands of her foster father, a government employee.

CWCs are autonomous district-wise bodies mandated with overseeing the welfare of children in their jurisdiction.

More >> Lapses by child welfare body blamed for sexual abuse of 13-yr-old girl by foster father in Assam

Presidential Proclamation on National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, 2019

Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery.  It is not enough merely to denounce this horrific assault on human dignity; we must actively work to prevent and end this barbaric exploitation of innocent victims.  During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we pledge to continue the battle to abolish modern slavery and restore the lives of those affected by human trafficking.

Human trafficking harms adults and children of all ages and demographics.  Through force, fraud, and coercion, traffickers push their victims into demeaning forms of abuse, including domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation.  These crimes often remain hidden because victims are reluctant to seek help for a variety of reasons, including language barriers, fear of traffickers and law enforcement, and lack of trust.  Human trafficking destroys precious lives and threatens our Nation’s security, public health, and the rule of law.  It is a scourge on the global community.

More >> Presidential Proclamation on National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, 2019

How Facebook Has Become One Of The World’s Largest Suicide Screening And Alert Programs

The company ramped up monitoring of its users' posts after several people live-screened their suicides in 2017. But the proactive steps the tech giant is taking to help address the mental health crisis also puts it in a tricky spot as Facebook faces scrutiny about its privacy practices. In other public health news: evacuating the elderly, virtual reality and medicine, flu season, contact lenses, marijuana, Ebola, hearing loss and more.

More >> How Facebook Has Become One Of The World’s Largest Suicide Screening And Alert Programs