FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – Statistics show more cases of abused and neglected children are being placed in permanent homes across the Hoosier state.
Officials with the state Department of Child Services sent Indiana’s NewsCenter information showing that beginning January of 2008, the number of statewide cases of abuse and neglect spiked.
Now officials say that in July, statewide, they took more children out of abusive homes than ever before.
They say 933 children across the state were placed in a permanent home, that's more than any other month since the state began tracking the data in early 2008.
Officials report the number of abused and neglected children in the Hoosier state with open cases rose to 704 in July, up from 658 in June.
They say Northeast Indiana is the second largest region with abuse and neglect cases in the Hoosier state, second to Central Indiana.
Locally, the number of abused children has gone down from May to June of this year.
Rex McFarren, the Director of Northeast Indiana’s Court Appointed Special Advocates for children or CASA says thanks to the downturn in the economy more children could be removed from their homes.
“People will then start looking towards alcohol to relieve the stress, which that's a bad combination when you're raising children,” said McFarren. “So historically when you take a look bad economic times means increase in child abuse and neglect cases.”
McFarren says it will take at least a year to know how the sour economy has affected the number of local cases.
If you are a parent who needs help call SCAN or Stop Child Abuse and Neglect at 421-5002 for help.
If you or someone you know suspects a child is being abused call police. Your phone call can remain anonymous.