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Most people in Tulsa probably know, but others may not, about an appalling crime that happened just days ago.

Vicki Chiles, who ran a daycare out of her home, had been charged recently with Abuse of a Minor, but allowed to keep operating her daycare and no parents were notified. Since recieving her license in 2002, DHS had made at least 3 unannounced visits per year, and many of these visits had yeilded serious violations, in addition to multiple complaints regarding Chiles and child abuse.

Last Thursday, DHS workers arrived unannounced and found 2 year old Joshua unconscious, in cardiac arrest, his mouth and nose taped over. Chiles said that she did not know he was in cardiac arrest and was just disciplinging him for not being quiet at naptime.

She is currently being held without bail, charged with Murder.

This is so terrifying for all parents-- and even people who aren't parents!-- to hear. It is not enough to trust state-authorized agencies that your children are being cared for and protected. Any one of us could be in Joshua's parents shoes right now, horrified and betrayed, and it is not their fault. It could happen so easily. Even with all the strikes against Chiles, they were never notified. How can anyone make sense of that? What is the possible reasoning that would explain how that is acceptable as due process of law?

My kids don't go to daycare. I work at home, and I get to stay here. I love it, but not everyone can or chooses to do the same thing. There are different lifestyles for every family. But whether it is in a daycare or at the baby sitter's or in a playgroup at the park or in Sunday school with the pastor you have known since you were 12, one thing is certian: monsters can hide anywhere. Threats to our children can be anywhere. Some may call it paranoid, but I think that to always be a little suspicious on the behalf of your child is a good thing. You can't be too careful. No one but you is going to protect your child and they are counting on you.

Everyone can do more to help the children who slip through the cracks. If you know your best friend got too rough with their 7 year old and yanked them around a little, don't bite your tongue. If saying something will just make it worse, then call someone. If you know that it is happening and you look the other way, you are supporting it. There is a difference between privacy and protection, between discipline and abuse. I feel that it is all our jobs, as parents, as adults, and as responsible members of society to educate and familiarize ourselves with what is really okay and what is not.

If you know or suspect that a child is being abused, call your local child protection services or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD. They are there for a reason. Find out about the laws in your state and write to your elected officials about where they are insuffient and a failure to our children. To get a current directory of US senators and their contact information, including email addresses, go to:

www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Some other good places to find links for help and resources in regards to child abuse are:

www.bacausa.com
www.stopitnow.com
www.angelfire.com/ak/beautifulsunlight/Abuse.html

Child abuse is disgusting, senseless and evil. The only way that any tiny amount of good can come out of a tragedy such as this is if more people are made aware that it HAPPENS, everywhere, every second, right now while you are reading this bulletin, and they make an effort to help stop it. We all do lots of things every day that waste time and that is fine, but there is no reason not to take a few minutes to do something simple that can have a really big, positive impact.

We all love our kids, and all the victims are kids exactly like ours.

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