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Show Through - rrlheir j lears The Tragedy of Child Sexual Abuse - Editor'! note: This is the third in a ri O k m of stories dealing with child abuse in , 5 Davis County. CD X Is Doddy o stronger? r h criminal'When you are drinking, you have a tendency to be violent. You probably will as long as you live. If you don't correct that, you'll be in prison," said Comaby. He then sentenced the man to 0-5 years in the state prison and ordered him to pay restitution and medical bills for the injured children. The prison sentence was stayed, and the man was told he would spend the next year in the Davis County jail. When he has completed the first six months of the jail sentence, he will be released into an alcohol treatment treat-ment center. He must complete a three-year probation, during which time he will not be allowed to have any association with the victims without supervision. "Nothing in this world would get you in prison faster than drinking while you are on probation," Cor-naby Cor-naby emphasized as the prisoner was led from the courtroom. In a case still pending before the court, a man in his sixties has been charged with sexually molesting his granddaughters. The mother of an 11-year-old girl found "hickies" on the young child's neck and, upon inquiry, learned they had come from the grandfather. It was also learned that the man had allegedly sexually molested the girl. When charges were filed, a second se-cond granddaughter, now 18, told of a similar incident occurring with the man when she was 12 years old. None of these cases could have been resolved without someone finally getting involved. Namba said the number of felonies tried in Davis County is on the increase. "It's imperative that people report suspected child abuse. We now have a better system to help both the victims and the perpetrators, but we can't help if we don't know it's happening," he said. Namba added he seldom "reprosecutes" child abusers. "It seems once they have gone through the legal system they don't reoffend. reof-fend. They learn to control their behavior," he said Namba added that psychological investigations of criminals try to evaluate their propensity to reoffend. reof-fend. He said fear is another factor that deters a second offense. "They know they will most likely go to prison on a second offense," he said. "The system is improving and we are better able to prosecute these cases, but we need help identifying the victims. Someone has to make that first call." By JUDY JENSEN Asst. Managing Editor FARMINGTON Hundreds of child abusers file through Davis County courts and none of them are the "strangers" children are taught to fear. Fathers, grandfathers, live-ins, neighbors and acquaintances are the criminals being prosecuted for crimes against the children who trusted them. The following three cases have been heard in 2nd District Court since February 1991. They represent only a portion of the abuse cases being handled in Davis County. Deputy County Attorney Brian Namba, who is the prosecutor in the majority of child abuse cases, said the county total of sex offense cases against minors has increased from 27 cases in 1983 to 66 in 1990. He added that the numbers have steadily increased in the six years he has been with the department. depart-ment. In February a 29-year-old Layton father appeared before Judge Douglas Comaby on the charge of sexually abusing a child. The man stood before the bench, his head hung low, as the judge read through the report and recounted the details of his crime, sexually abusing his 3-y 3-y ear-old daughter. "It appears you have been involved in-volved with pornography and have spent a considerable amount of your waking hours thinking about sexual matters," said the judge. "You've spent a lot of time viewing R-rated movies. For some this is not a problem, prob-lem, but for you it seems to be different," Comaby said. The father stood motionless, almost lifeless as the judge continued. con-tinued. He told the man he was grateful that he had taken it upon himself to seek help. The father had told a religious leader of his behavior, and together they had contacted the authorities. "You were very conscientious in starting to correct this whole matter yourself. You have to decide that this will never happen again, or anything like it," said Comaby. The judge then imposed the sentence of 0-5 years in the state prison. An audible sob arose from the dozens of family members who had attended the sentencing. Judge Cornaby then told the father the prison sentence would be stayed if he would complete a three-year-probation period. "You will be involved with a number of groups. And you will have to rely on them for help," said Comaby. He explained the father's deviant behavior would have to be treated. "You will not be allowed to live with your family until the doctor decides you are well enough to do so. ' With that decree the man was led away by the bailiff, and his distraught wife and other family members filed slowly from the courtroom. In another February case, a 34-year-old Kaysville man was charged charg-ed with five counts of child abuse. He had beaten two small children on several occasions. The children were his stepdaughters. The first offense, a second degree felony, occurred in August 1990. The police report listed "head trauma' ' as the injury. The second, third and fourth offenses occurred on the same day. The report listed injuries as a broken arm, contusion to the face, and a bruised shoulder, the result of a milk bottle being thrown at the young victim. The fifth offense occurred Oct. 9, 1990 and again was reported as "head trauma." It was this attack that finally prompted those involved in-volved to get help. "This was a very small child," said a visibly disturbed Judge Douglas Comaby as he heard the case in 2nd District Court. "The doctor's report says there had been two attacks in two weeks and if the child had not been taken to the hospital immediately, she would have died," he said. The judge then described the history of alcoholism of the |