I spent over a decade working for Hamilton County Job and Family Services (1999-2010) in Cincinnati, Ohio. I started out in child support enforcement and then moved into the county’s contract services department where I worked with children’s services. 
My experience securing homes for abused and neglected children opened my eyes to a harsh reality that evil is real. While working with social services, I soon realized that my co-workers were often all that stood between life and death for children in my county. Daily, I see stories about abused and murdered children all across America. And for every case on the news, there are thousands more you will never hear about.
One afternoon, I can remember being excited about my youngest son’s birthday. I had ordered a cake and arranged to pick it up after work. It was my son’s third birthday. Before leaving for the day, I spoke to a co-worker who investigated alleged cases of child abuse and neglect.
He would often bring children over to meet me. On the day of my youngest son’s birthday, my co-worker brought over a 3-year-old girl with a blue dress and curly blonde hair. It would have been easy to mistake her for a baby doll. My co-worker had removed this little angel from her home because of neglect. I looked at her and wondered how anyone could mistreat such a beautiful child. My co-worker said it happens too often.
Unknown to him, my mood had changed after speaking to the child in his care. My son had a birthday cake, gifts and his favorite food to celebrate his third birthday. I silently wondered if anyone ever made a fuss over this child? Most likely, no one had ever baked her a birthday cake or even remembered it was her birthday.
For her birthday, she receives the gift of life that excludes cake and ice cream. Other than my co-worker, I am not so sure anyone else cared about this child. I still see her in the back of my mind. Wherever she is today, I hope she is okay.
We expect parents to be nurturing, loving and kind. Unfortunately, many children are born daily to parents who care more about their drugs than their own children. However, for every child with loving parents, thousands more never receive love, compassion or even a birthday gift. Many abused children will grow up and abuse their own children. It’s a vicious and endless circle with no solution in sight.
Whenever I speak to people about my experience in social services, I am often asked how people can harm a child. It’s a tough question with a simple answer. They do so because children are the most vulnerable people in our society.
The human baby is the most helpless creature on Earth. In the wild, animals fend for themselves. If not, they don’t survive. Human infants need love and support from their parents for many years. Although many parents will make sacrifices and put their children first, many others won’t. So never assume all parents care about their children.
For this new year, I ask that you also watch out for your neighbor’s children because they don’t have a voice. If you don’t speak up for them, no one else will. They will continue suffering in silence and become exposed to sexual deviancy, neglect, malnourishment and other atrocities. If a child you know is being abused or neglected, don’t stay silent. And don’t say it’s not your problem or there isn’t anything you can do. You always have the option to contact your local authorities and protect a child from suffering needlessly.
Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.