Tennessee sees decline in child abuse deaths

Tennessee saw a decline last year in the number of child abuse deaths, but the state still ranks in the top 10 nationally.
The Commercial Appeal reports a federal study released Thursday found the number of deaths from abuse and neglect in Tennessee dropped from 55 in 2008 to 46 last year. That’s a 16 percent decline. But the state still ranks at No. 7 nationally.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, children in the most danger are those under 4. That age group accounts for 80 percent of last year’s child deaths nationally. The study also found that mothers were more than twice as likely to kill their children as fathers.
Jennifer Nichols, chief prosecutor of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit, said mothers, who often are the primary caregivers, can be stressed and sleep-deprived at a time when newborns tend to cry a lot. And many families don’t have a strong support system that will allow them to take a break.
Dr. Helen Morrow, chief medical officer for the Shelby County Health Department, said frequent crying, difficulty with potty training and outbursts are common excuses given by parents and caregivers who kill their children.
Morrow, who also is the chairwoman of the Shelby County Child Fatality Review Team, said infants born prematurely and children with disabilities can be at a greater risk.
“They can be even more challenging to care for,’’ and, if abused, “they’re a little less resilient,’’ she said.
Nationally, the number of child abuse deaths rose slightly last year from 1,720 in 2008 to 1,770 in 2009.
The National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths issued a statement timed to correspond with the government report. It puts the national death toll at closer to 2,500. Shelby County experts agree that the actual number of deaths has to be higher than official figures because of unsolved cases.
“We have deaths that we strongly suspect are due to abuse or neglect, but we can’t prove it,’’ Morrow said of the deaths her team reviews. “We’re all left very frustrated.’’