Are the kids safe? Here are symptoms of child abuse and where to find help in Florida
Seeing the news of two young children suffering a brutal death allegedly at the hands of their mother in Miami shattered the hearts of many people across South Florida.
Odette Joassaint, 41, confessed that she tied together the arms, legs and necks of her children — Laural Belval, 5, and Jeffrey Belval, 3, according to Miami police. Then she used a red ribbon to strangle them Tuesday evening, she told detectives. She was booked into jail Wednesday on two counts of first-degree murder.
The tragedy occurred during the National Child Abuse Prevention Month, observed in April to raise awareness and prevent child abuse in U.S.
The deaths of the Belval siblings are rare because most child abuse fatalities in the nation — nearly 75% — are due to neglect and not physical abuse, said Maureen C. Kenny, professor of psychology at Florida International University’s college of education.
“This kind of killing is unusual,” she said.
Nearly five children are estimated to have died everyday due to abuse or neglect in U.S. during a 12-month period from October of 2019 to September of the following year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Maltreatment report released this month.
About 70% of the 1,750 child fatalities involved kids less than three-years-old, and months-old babies accounted for close to half of all fatalities because, according to Kenny, they are more vulnerable and dependent of their caretakers. Parents — acting alone or with another parent or individual — were responsible for more than 80% of child abuse or neglect fatalities.
In Florida, 101 minors died because of child abuse during the same 12-month period, representing about 9% of all U.S. deaths, according to the report.
But Kenny said there is a sliver of light at the of the tunnel with both the total and the rate of these type of deaths slightly decreasing compared to the prior 12-month period when 1,840 children died in U.S. under these circumstances.
Here’s some tips on how to spot if a child is being abused and where to report it.
How do I know if a child is being abused?
To prevent these deaths, people first must know how to determine if a child is being abused, Kenny said. She added that no single potential sign of child abuse can be used alone to determine if a minor is in danger.
“We are sort of looking for a constellation of symptoms,” she said.
READ MORE: ‘I don’t want them anymore,’ mother told Miami cops. They found her kids, 3 and 5, dead.
According to the Mayo Clinic, people should look for these symptoms of child abuse:
Signs of physical abuse such as unexplained bruises, fractures or burns and injuries that don’t match the explanation given by the child or parent.
- Signs of emotional abuse such as delayed or inappropriate emotional development, loss of self-esteem, social withdrawal or a loss of interest, depression, desperately seeks affection, decrease in school performance, loss of previously acquired developmental skills like a toilet-trained kid wetting themselves, and avoidance of certain situations like refusing to go to school or ride the bus.
- Signs of sexual abuse such as sexual behavior or knowledge that’s inappropriate for the child’s age, pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection, blood in the child’s underwear, statements that they were sexually abused and inappropriate sexual contact with other children.
- Signs of neglect such as poor growth and weight gain or being overweight, poor hygiene, lack of clothing or supplies to meet physical needs, taking food or money without permission, hiding food for later, poor record of school attendance, and lack of appropriate attention for medical or psychological problems.
How can I report child abuse in Florida?
Callers should expect to be asked the names, ages and address of the children and to describe what they witnessed, according to Kenny.
In Florida, Kenny noted there are 41 occupations that are mandated by law to report child abuse from school bus drivers and cafeteria workers to nurses, police officers and clergy.
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Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare is also a mandatory reporter, according to state law.
To report child abuse or neglect in Florida, people are encouraged to call the state’s 24/7 Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or 1-800-96-ABUSE to talk with English, Spanish and Haitian Creole-speaking counselors. For TTY, people can use 711 or call to 1-800-955-8771. In case of an emergency, call 911.
What can governments do to prevent child abuse?
It’s not only up individuals to put a stop to child abuse. According to the State Policies Addressing Child Abuse and Neglect report of the 2015 National Conference of State Legislatures, there are policies and government-funded programs that can prevent child abuse such as:
Early childhood home visiting: It provides support and links families to appropriate services such as nurses, social workers or parent educators. These prevention-focused programs are voluntary. Learn more at healthystartflorida.com.
Early Head Start: It is a federally funded program that offers low-income pregnant people and families with children under age 3 access to early learning and education in day care settings and other family support services. Learn more at floridaearlylearning.com.
Access to health services: Screening and referral for depression, substance abuse, partner violence, and parental and financial stress among parents of young children.
Parental education: Increasing parental education access has the potential to reduce risks of child abuse and neglect and may also expand income-earning opportunities. Learn more at: fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/hse.
Paid parental leave: Paid maternity leave can reduce maternal depression, which is a risk factor for child abuse and neglect, and increase the duration of breastfeeding. In Florida, there is not a state law that requires employers to offer parental leave, but it is required in several South Florida cities and counties such as Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Broward County, Wilton Manors, Miramar, Hallandale Beach and Wellington, according to the Sun Sentinel.
Financial stability: Evidenced-based programs to prevent teen pregnancies and delaying parenthood can increase financial stability and decrease stress for new families. Proponents of raising the minimum wage — which in Florida is $10 an hour — also argue that the increase will help improve economic security for new families.
Housing vouchers for mixed-income neighborhoods: These programs help young families rent properties in better-resourced communities, which may reduce child abuse and neglect by decreasing children’s exposure to violence and offering parents more stable housing options. Learn more at: hud.gov/states/florida/renting.
Tax-Related Support: The federal Earned Income Tax Credit, a tool to reduce the amount of taxes owed by low- to moderate-income families, offers a tax refund to families based on household earnings, number of children and marital status, increasing the financial solvency of new families. Learn more at irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc.
Simply put, Kenny said the prevention of child abuse is the entire community’s responsibility.
“While schools often include prevention programs to raise awareness, we should not put the onus of prevention on children,” she said. “It is every adults’ responsibility to ensure that children grow up free from harm.”
This story was originally published April 18, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
