August 19, 2010
Thursday AM

Imagine for a minute: You get off work and you go to pick up your child from the babysitter. When you arrive the babysitter warns you that your two year old has a bad rash on his face. He hears you and runs to you, arms open. You look at your two year old and one entire side of his face is bruised. There's no rash, just severe bruising, and a bleeding cut under his eye. You take your boy to the ER because you KNOW these are injuries. Two doctors tell you your child is suffering from head trauma and the impact needed to leave the marks he had should have broke his neck and killed him instantly. He says that you are lucky he's alive. You file a report and she admits to what she has done. She is charged with a class C felony assault, but the trial gets pushed 15 months out and the babysitter gets to walk free until then. This seems completely unjust!

Since when is it ok to harm a child? A person will get in more trouble for driving without a license than for nearly killing a two year old! This is a true story, the story of my oldest son. This happened to him in October of last year and we don't go to trial until January of next year. Nobody should ever have to worry about this or go through this. This message is not for pity, this message is simply to spread awareness. These kinds of things happen all the time, and it's NOT right. Take a stand for the children! They need it, they deserve it, and we are the only ones who can do it!

Kysa Barrett
Ketchikan, AK

About: "I am a resident of Ketchikan AK. I was formerly the Legal Advocate for Women in Safe Homes. I left my job there because my children had become victims of child abuse in their babysitter's home. The reason I wrote this letter is to raise awareness, something needs to be done about this."

Received August 19, 2010 - Published August 19, 2010

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