(Missouri Independent) – Lawmakers slammed the Department of Social Services on Thursday for underreporting the number of substantiated cases of abuse and neglect at youth residential facilities during a previous legislative hearing. For nearly an hour-and-a-half on Thursday, the House Special Committee on Government Oversight pressed DSS officials on why the number of findings of […]
A Unionville man has been charged in Putnam County after allegedly dropping his three-month-old daughter on her head three times. Twenty-seven-year-old Tyler James Hurt faces felony abuse or neglect of a child—serious emotional or physical injury—no sexual contact. Bond was set at $25,000 cash only, and an initial appearance in court is scheduled for May […]
A Coffey man faces multiple charges after a Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division investigation at a residence in Coffey on April 28th. Forty-five-year-old David Jonathan Girsch has been charged in Daviess County with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and two counts of […]
Missouri KidsFirst presented the 2021 Standing with Children Awards at a virtual event hosted by the organization at 12:00 PM on Monday, April 26, 2021. The 2021 recipients of the Standing with Children Awards are Laura Bauer and Judy Thomas, investigative reporters with the Kansas City Star, Dr. Linda Shaw, child abuse pediatrician with SSM […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Monday to recommend Rep. Rick Roeber be expelled from the Legislature. The committee, made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, said evidence obtained over the course of its four-month investigation confirmed Roeber had sexually abused two of his children in 1990 when they […]
A Brookfield woman accused of injuring a girl has been charged with the felonies of domestic assault—third degree and abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact. Online court information shows 59 year old Virginia Dean Williams posted bond of $500. An arraignment is scheduled in Linn County May 13th. A probable cause statement from […]
A Missouri House committee is working to get to the bottom of abuse allegations surfacing about several faith-based boarding schools, but then falling through the cracks. State Representative Dottie Bailey of Eureka says there are too many Missouri Children’s Division managers and not enough frontline workers handling child abuse and neglect allegations. During an oversight […]
Erica Williams, the founder of a nonprofit urban agriculture program in North St. Louis County, had a vision of how to reclaim a community that had suffered through disinvestment and neglect. Across the state in Clay County, Smithville’s mayor hoped amenities like a farmers market would help reinvigorate the small city 20 miles north of […]
A Marceline man accused of punching a 10-year-old on March 21st faces two felony charges in Linn County. Thirty-one-year-old Patrick Colby Niemeier has been charged with third-degree domestic assault and abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact. Niemeier entered a plea of not guilty in the Associate Circuit Court on March 24th and requested […]
The head of the Missouri Department of Social Services is scheduled to appear before a panel of lawmakers Wednesday about the agency’s handling of abuse investigations within boarding schools. The Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight has called a Wednesday afternoon hearing to question the department’s acting director, Jennifer Tidball. The Kansas City Star has […]
Two Chillicothe residents face multiple charges following a well-being check in February on a female juvenile who law enforcement reports sent text messages to her grandmother that she did not feel safe. Thirty-eight-year-old Eric Wayne Suddith has been charged with the felonies of sodomy or first degree attempted sodomy and enticement or attempted enticement of […]
The owners of the now-defunct Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in southwest Missouri’s Humansville remain jailed without bond on Thursday morning, after pleading NOT guilty in Cedar County Court. Boyd and Stephanie Householder are from Nevada, near Humansville. Attorney General Eric Schmitt had to stop speaking at one point during his Wednesday press conference, to […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced in a press conference that his office has filed a total of 102 criminal charges against Boyd and Stephanie Householder, who were the owners and operators of the now-defunct Circle of Hope Girls Ranch and Boarding School. Boyd and Stephanie Householder have been arrested and are in custody. […]
A Gallatin woman accused of grabbing her 12-year-old daughter by the hair and throwing her around a room earlier in February has been charged in Daviess County. Online court information shows 39-year-old Mandie Collins faces felony abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact. Collin’s bond is $5,000 cash with conditions including being supervised by […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the Conservation Reserve Program General Signup period, which had previously been announced as ending on Feb. 12, 2021. USDA will continue to accept offers as it takes this opportunity for the incoming Administration to evaluate ways to increase enrollment. Under the previous Administration, incentives and rental payment rates […]
Governor Mike Parson and the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Health and Senior Services, and Social Services announced the consolidation of several early childhood programs across state government into a single Office of Childhood. The new office will be housed by DESE and provide a comprehensive approach to early childhood care and education, […]
A Braymer man accused of hitting his 13-year-old daughter in the lip and stomach has been charged with felony abuse or neglect of a child, no sexual contact. Fifty-year-old Troy Dale Frazier also faces misdemeanor domestic assault, fourth-degree, first, or second offense. Bond was set at $7,500 cash only with special conditions for bond supervision […]
The struggle is real for Missouri when it comes to a constant shortage of K-12 public school teachers. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wants to ramp up its teacher workforce by seizing the opportunity in a relevant setting. Dr. Paul Katnik, the assistant commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality, says […]
A Bethany man has been charged in Daviess County with three felonies after allegedly letting his 12-year-old son drive a utility terrain vehicle on December 5th, and the vehicle rolling on Beacon Avenue near 260th Street. Online court information shows 38-year-old Clifford McCrary has been charged with abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact, […]
The Highway Patrol reports the arrest of a Blockton, Iowa man in Caldwell County on Friday evening, December 11th on multiple allegations. Forty-two-year-old Ty Vaughn was accused of driving while intoxicated—chronic offender, felony driving while revoked or suspended, felony assault—second degree, property damage—first degree, and armed criminal action. Other allegations included abuse or neglect of […]
