SANTA ANA, CA — A 20-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s 9-month-old son. Alexander Barnes was convicted in November of second-degree murder and felony child abuse resulting in the death of Isaiah Prim-Ortiz. Prosecutors contend Barnes was babysitting Isaiah for the first time and became angry because the baby wouldn’t stop crying. They say Barnes repeatedly smashed the baby’s head against a wall, fracturing the his skull and killing him.  READ MORE HERE

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IF I SUSPECT A CHILD IS BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED?

Physical signs of sexually transmitted disease
Evidence of injury to the genital area
Pregnancy in a young girl
Difficulty in sitting or walking
Frequent expressions of sexual activity between adult and child
Extreme fear of being alone with adults of a certain sex
Sexually suggestive, inappropriate, or promiscuous behavior
Knowledge of sexual relations beyond what is expected for a child’s age
Sexual victimization of other children

Child sexual abuse cases can be very difficult to prove largely because cases where definite, objective evidence exists are the exception. The first indicators of sexual abuse may not be physical signs, but behavior changes or abnormalities. Unfortunately, because it is usually so difficult to accept that sexual abuse may be occurring, the adult may misinterpret the signals and feel that the child is merely being disobedient or insolent. The reaction to the disclosure of abuse then becomes disbelief and rejection to the child’s statements.  READ MORE HERE

RECOGNIZING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE:

Child Sexual Abuse Victims: How to Recognize the Signs and How to Help from MECP Training on Vimeo.

MALE SEXUAL ABUSE:

EMPOWERING YOUR CHILDREN AGAINST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE:

A U.S. citizen convicted of child molestation has been turned over to U.S. authorities after being captured in Canada after a decade on the run. Veronique Lalime, a spokeswoman for Canada Border Services Agency, said Thursday that Steven Dyer was transferred to the custody of U.S. officials on Wednesday. He was picked up by border service agents at Montreal’s airport a day earlier.  READ MORE HERE

LOS ANGELES– A soccer coach in East Los Angeles faces charges of sexually assaulting two teenage players, and investigators say there may be more victims. Javier Arrioja, 48, allegedly molested one of the victims, a 15-year-old boy, four times between May and November 2011, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. The case began after the boy told deputies that Arrioja had touched him inappropriately.  READ MORE HERE

MONTEBELLO — Montebello Police confirm that a female teacher at Roosevelt High has been arrested for allegedly having sex with two boys while they were her students. The teacher has been identified as 42-year-old Gabriela Cortez. She was arrested yesterday and booked at the Montebello City Jail.  READ MORE HERE

The step father of an 11-year-old girl kept her chained to her bed for five weeks, investigators say. Michael Gilman is charged with false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly shackled his step-daughter to the bed by her ankle. Gilman, of Sharp County, Arkansas, used a dog leash and, at times, a short chain to restrain the girl while the girl’s mother was out of town, court documents state.  READ MORE HERE

A four-year-old boy was abused to death by his grandmother, authorities say. Gabriel Trujillo was found unconscious on Valentine’s Day at the Commerce City, Colorado home of his grandmother. Doris Becky Trujillo.  Trujillo, 60, had had custody of Gabriel and his older sisters Krista and Monique since last year. READ MORE HERE

ETOWAH COUNTY, AL — A grandmother and stepmother are charged with murder in the death of a nine-year-old girl who authorities say died after being forced to run for 3 hours. The running was apparently a punishment for eating a forbidden candy bar and lying about it. Savannah Hardin died Monday from severe dehydration and low sodium levels, a condition common in marathon runners, according to Natalie Barton, Etowah County, Alabama Public Information Officer.  READ MORE HERE

SOUTH LOS ANGELES — A special education teacher at Crenshaw High School has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate contact with a child. School officials admit the teacher is under investigation, but are not releasing details about the probe. Los Angeles police confirmed their detectives are running the investigation. READ MORE HERE

LAUSD Substitute Charged with Sex Abuse on the Run

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District sex abuse scandal continues to grow, as new allegations surface involving a former substitute teacher. The Los Angeles Times reports that George Hernandez, 45, was investigated on three separate occasions for sexual misconduct involving young students. Hernandez was a frequent substitute teacher for five years in the LAUSD.  READ MORE HERE

BREMERTON, WA– A 8-year old girl is in critical condition after being shot and wounded in a third grade classroom. The shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. at Armin Jahr Elementary School, near Seattle. Authorities say the 8-year old girl was shot in the stomach. She was airlifted to a hospital in Seattle in critical condition. Police say a 9-year old classmate is being detained in connection with the shooting.  READ MORE HERE

Alleged Murder for Hire Plot Involving Mom & Kids Thwarted