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Show PAGE 23 THE ZEPHYRAPRIL 89 Child Abuse in Grand County identifying the problem and prosecuting the offender Since 1986, felony child abuse charges have been filed had left Barrie and disappeared. But on November 25, the against at least six persons in Grand County. The State, police file records indicate "County Attorney lacks as represented by the County Attorney, has been relatively probably cause to pursue prosectlon," and the Moab Police was forced to suspend its investigation. lenient in the prosectlon of these crimes: was C. Waltz Missouri of Robert In 1985, St. Louis, Finally, Ms. Barrie retained the services of attorney Amtrak a on South. She presented a case file, comprised mostly five the for train Myma year apprehended assaulting old child. He was removed from the train at Price, and of evidence gathered by Moab Police Department and medical charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, a first and law enforcement authorities in Idaho, to the Utah degree felony, by former prosecutor William Benge. The Office of the Attorney General. The Attorney General's trial was delayed several times at the request of the office concluded there was ample evidence to pursue defense and was finally scheduled for March, 1987. prosecution and notified Mrs. Coates of their intentions. But on February 26, 1987, the new County Attorney, Elaine On May 10, 1988, a complaint was filed in Seventh Circuit this state. Coates, moved the charges "be dismissed on the grounds Court of Grand County by Assistant Attorney General Rob Whether child abuse is on the rise, or whether they are that Defendant had plead to another charge in the same Parish, charging Steven Ray Allen with three counts of Kuehne offense. now being reported more is a question of debate. Mr. Waltz was allowed to plead no contest to child abuse and criminal homicide. Mr. Allen is still at believes both answers are probably correct. "Because of "Attempted Aggravated Assault," a misdemeanor; he was lerge . On January 18. 1989. Ernest Steele pleaded Increased media coverage, the public is more award of the sentenced to six months in Jail and fined $1,000.00. Both guilty to two an Also and counts on were mental the he can alcohol of second degree sexual child abuse and two counts condition enter doctors, health, happen. suspended possibility it nurses and the police recognize the existence of the drug rehabilitation program, abstain from using drugs and of first degree sexual child abuse. In a plea bargain alcohol for a year and attend weekly AA meetings. The attachment, the County Attorney stated that the prosecuproblem. As a result it's reported more frequently." abuse "child to is consistently discharge summary report described his prognosis as tion "will recommend that if the Defendant meets the Kuehne, According associated with may social ills: high (male) unemploy "performing requirements for the minimum mandatory prison sentence to "guarded." Today, Mr. Waltz is be waived, the State will recommend probation instead of ment, alcoholism and substance abuse, and unwanted magic shows for schools and private parties." On March 13, 1987, Angelo Melo "pled guilty to Rape of a prison. The State will fully cooperate to assist the That tells us that the people doing the pregnancies. Defendant Melo Mr. a to meet the requirements for probation in order underwent and to tends Child." Prior this are in great distress themselves, sentencing, abusing Board to under the avoid the of evaluation the to be true in our experience: abusing adults are remarkmandatory sentence." supervision diagnostic This statement has been a point of confusion, since Mrs. ably unhappy, suffering people. Oftentimes tdiile actually of Corrections. And on September 8, 1987, the State abusing their children, they are temporarily incapacitated recommended a stay of execution of the mandatory sentence Coates has said recently she did not recommend probation for Mr. Steele. In an in such cases, and recommended 18 months probation. interview with TV 6 by any number of things: anger, fear, panic, depression, Melo was months Jim was shown a copy of Five Mrs. back Coates court for ordered 15 into about so on. of and producer Mattingly, later, alcohol, drugs Only abusing adults are incapacitated by severe mental retardation or violation of his probation. But at a hearing on February the plea bargain. After reviewing it, she stated it was 24, 1988, it was ordered that the "Defendant's release on not the copy she signed, with her own handwritten correcpsychosis." tions and signature. A copy of that version was obtained In Utah, Social Services investlgatss about 10,000 probation be continued according to the terms and condfrom the District Court and proved to be identical in Melo itions set be would November, However, forth." to abuse of fair child by again It per year. complaints on content on to the one she reviewed for Mattingly; it was several counts. Finally, say, according to Kuehne "that Utah has an average violated his probation a was of the warrant issued low for medium Both a of arrest 13, 1989, incidence incidence of emotional abuse, to merely retyped for her corrections and changes. February Melo. are unknown whereabouts His are with this tine. sexual of at an this and Incidence copies Angelo reprinted abuse, story. extremely high physical Dr. Cap Tibbltts, formerly of Four Corners Mental Health, The death of three year old Michael Barrie in 1986 has abuse . " About 85 of all sexual child abuse is committed once described the effects of child abuse on the victim . received nationwide attention (this crime was by a friend or a family member entrusted to the child; 96 "One effect, of course, TV Most on Wanted" Fox for "America's series abuse males. is that the of all is perpetrated by recently). . . the child. The prosecution of child abuse offenders is beginning to He died on December 16, 1986 while in the company of pattern is passed on from generation to generation, so g focus its concerns on the and assistance of Steven Ray Allen. The boy was buried in Idaho without an over a period of years, the cumulative effects in the The other is the victims and witnesses as well as the prosecution and autopsy. But within a month, the mother, Deborah Barrie, society are pervasive and devastating. foul-plaon effect the individual. By are Courts to its of the offender. definition, child abuse punishment adopt suspected beginning make sense. On May 13, the Moab Police in conjunction with Idaho is unpredictable and Here is an doesn't such as and rules for child victims, procedures special whom the child is dependent on, doing this totally permitting hearsay evidence at preliminary hearings, authorities requested an exhumation and autopsy. The adult, accepting the presumption that children are competent to medical examination revealed that Michael Barrie had and the child tries to make some sense of it, and in so testify, allowing children's testimony to be videotaped, sustained eleven broken ribs, bruises to his right and doing makes himself crazy. Or makes himself a very and permitting more flexible courtroom settings and left temple, as well as bruises and abrasions to his face limited human being." More than anything, the problem needs to be and body. The autopsy Indicated that the Injuries were procedures . recognized How does all this affect Grand County. Here as elsustained over a period of time. Utah Medical Examiner and dealt with. It can no longer be concealed behind a If Dr. Tibbltts' assertion is sewhere, incidents of physical and sexual abuse are on the Sweeney concluded on June 9, 1987: "Except for his curtain of silence. rise. Social Services regularly handles requests for Injuries, Michael Barrie appeared to be a healthy and correct, not only do abused children suffer greatly today, assistance from persons concerned about possible child normal child with no reason to die (he) was a they may well grow up to be the abusers of children a In addition, the "Youre In Charge program, victim of child abuse." abuse. generation from now. intended to educate children about physical and sexual In a telephone interview, Deborah Barrie stated that on child abuse, and prepared by Four Corners Mental Health, "at least 30 occasions she contacted the County Attorney, by Jim Stiles and Jin Mattingly has resulted in increased reporting by the children that action be taken against Allen, who by now pleading themselves. In ch last several years , increased attention has been given co the problem of c il a.mse - - both physical and sexual. It is a problem so u.. ceding and disturbing that has been hidden behind a ironically, over the year vail of silence and denia . but now, it is being discussed more openly, and at a result more incidents of abuse are being revealed regularly. According to Tom Kuehne, Unit Supervisor for S E Utah Social Services , one in twenty children nationally becomes a victim of sexual child abuse; in Utah, it is believed the ratio is closer to one in ten. And yet, at the same time, Incidents of physical child abuse are much lover in . self-employe- d, 90-d- ay on-cam- well-bein- y. .... |