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Sad Vigil for the dead asks: Who will help the children?
May 2, 2001 •By David Waterns •The Commercial Appeal, Faith Matters
A small crowd gathered on the steps outside the Shelby County Juvenile Court Saturday evening to remember the dead.
The sun was setting as the names of the dead were read aloud. After each name was called, everyone in the crowd lifted a candle or flashlight.
"Three-year-old Bandita was whipped to death. Her 44-pound body was covered with old scars and bruises. Her mother's boyfriend was charged with her death. Who holds a light for Bandita?"
The 75 people in the crowd hadn't known the children who were being named. But as members and friends of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), they know too many others like them.
There are more than 7,000 cases of child abuse and/or neglect reported in Shelby County every year. That's an average of 10 a day.
About 2,700 of those cases end up in court, where judges decide which children go back home and which do not. CASA's highly trained volunteers help the judges make those Solomon-like decisions.
"Nineteen-month-old Andre died from starvation. At the time of his death, his seven-month-old brother also was suffering from hypothermia and malnutrition. Both parents were allegedly involved in the abuse and neglect. Who holds a light for Andre and his brother?"
CASA's highly trained volunteers don't work for the prosecution or the defense. They work for the children who have been abused and/or neglected.
They spend time getting to know the children and their families, neighbors, and teachers. They report their findings to the judges.
They also stick with the kids for months or even years to make sure they are cared for, whether they're sent to foster care or back home.
"Three-month-old Deja died in the emergency room from blows to the head with fists or hands. She also had old scarring from cigarette burns on the bottom of her feet. Both parents were charged with murder and child abuse. Who holds a light for Deja?"
Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Turner brought CASA, a nonprofit organization, to Memphis in 1986. There are about 800 CASA offices in the country, and the Memphis office is considered one of the best.
The local CASA has a staff of 14 and about 200 volunteers. That's enough to handle only about 25 percent of the abused or neglected children who are referred to the court each year.
So, CASA works like a triage. It takes the kids who seem to be in the most immediate danger.
The ones truly in the most danger never get referred to CASA, of course. Saturday evening, the names of a dozen of those children were read aloud.
"Seven-month-old Quennisha died of internal bleeding from a dozen broken ribs, a ruptured heart and a perforated liver. Her father was convicted of squeezing her to death. Who holds a light for Quennisha?"
The child protection system doesn't work as well as it should in Memphis and Shelby County.
Government-based services are poorly funded, understaffed and overwhelmed. Staff turnover is high. Staff burnout is higher.
Children who are taken out of abusive homes are shuttled from one foster home to the next. Nationally, the average stay for a child in foster care is 18 months. In Tennessee, the average stay is nearly five years.
Many CASA staff members and volunteers are adoptive parents or foster parents or emergency-shelter parents. When you know a child who needs help, you help however you can.
Still, too often it's too late.
"Eighteen-month-old Carmecia died from head trauma, shaken baby syndrome and compression of the throat. Authorities say her mother and mother's boyfriend beat her because she wasn't toilet-trained. Who holds a light for Carmecia?"
CASA has never lost a child under its supervision, said Dan Michael, CASA's executive director. The program works for children. It could work for more children.
CASA is looking for congregations who can supervise visits between children and parents who are trying to make things right.
CASA also is looking for more volunteers.
If you're interested, call CASA at 405-8422.
"The Department of Human Services, the Juvenile Court, the CASA volunteer - none of us alone can help these children," Michael said Saturday evening after all the names had been read.
"Who will join us and hold a light of hope to these children?"
CASA plans to hold another vigil next year on the steps of Juvenile Court.
The hope is that a much larger crowd will hear fewer names read aloud.
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