Nueces County remembers Texas children killed by abuse with pinwheels at courthouse

By Eleanor Dearman
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
April 02, 2018

https://www.caller.com/story/news/2018/04/02/nueces-county-remembers-texas-children-killed-abuse-pinwheels-courthouse/478122002/

Jackie Hassan, a member of the Nueces County Child Welfare Board, displays pinwheels outside the Nueces County Courthouse on Monday, April 2, 2018. Photo by Eleanor Dearman

Visitors stop at the CASA booth during Child Abuse Prevention month on Monday, April 2, 2018. Photo by Eleanor Dearman

John Lennan, region 11 media specialist for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, offers information to courthouse visitors during Child Abuse Prevention month on Monday, April 2, 2018. Photo by Eleanor Dearman

As Child Abuse Prevention Month kicked off, Nueces County on Monday honored children who were killed by their abusers in fiscal year 2017 by placing a blue pinwheel for each child on the county courthouse grounds.

Four of the pinwheels represented Nueces County children.

If one suspects a child is the victim of abuse, it's important to report it, representatives with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said Monday. 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheel placement is one of several events scheduled that will highlight child abuse awareness and prevention efforts. 

“We must all get involved to make children safer – whether it’s a teacher or a neighbor that reports suspected abuse or a church or charitable organization that helps parents and families," said Henry Whitman Jr., commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in a statement. 

In Nueces County there were 1,244 confirmed victims of abuse and neglect in fiscal year 2017, according to John Lennan, region 11 media specialist for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. He said there were 5,551 in South Texas and 63,657 in the state as a whole. 

"There's no one particular sign that says this child is a victim of abuse or neglect. It's gonna take many different forms because there are different types of child abuse and neglect that occur," Lennan said. "So it's gonna fall back on the person who sees something."

"If you see something, say something," he continued. "Whenever you let us know that something is happening, that's when we can begin to start to help that family provide a safe environment for their children." 

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, some of the signs of physical abuse include frequent injuries like bruises, cuts and burns that cannot be adequately explained and clothing that is used to conceal injuries.

Signs of neglect can include malnourishment, a lack of personal hygiene, torn or dirty clothes, children being left unattended for an extended time and children frequently being late to or missing school.