The South Arkansas Children's Coalition on Friday highlighted the Arkansas children killed by abuse in 2022.
The organization's annual balloon release marking April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month followed a different program this year, with no balloons actually released into the sky due to environmental concerns.
Instead, as case workers, SACC representatives and other community leaders gathered in the Union County Courthouse, they saw 13 blue balloons tied to 13 pairs of child-sized shoes and an additional 24 white balloons carried by volunteers, each balloon representing one child killed by abuse in 2022.
"Babies who lost their lives because they were abused," said Robin Krneta, executive director of SACC.
The 13 balloons were representative of 13 children killed last year whose information was available to SACC through the Arkansas Department of Human Services. They were Daniel, 3; Kaden, 9; Kalei, 6; Piper, 2; William, 2 weeks; Eli, 3; Alfred, 4 months; Honesty, 18 months; Winley, 18 months; Luke, 2 months; Mercy, 1 day; Jesse, 23 months; and Kaison, 23 months.
"We have 24 more we don't have names and ages for, and that's just in Arkansas," Krneta said.
Krneta spoke during the event about the role every individual can play in preventing child abuse. Volunteer opportunities are always available, she said, in SACC's Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, through which volunteers act as advocates for child abuse victims in court and provide education to the community about abuse.
"There's something every one of us in this community can do and should do," she said. "There's a place for everybody... We all have a part in preventing child abuse."
The CALL, an organization that pairs Christian families with foster children in need of support, also has volunteer opportunities, she said.
Additionally, SACC's second branch, the Children's Advocacy Center, provides mandated reporter training to churches and youth-serving organizations. Mandated reporters are those who are legally required to report known or suspected cases of abuse.
"The reality is, (abuse) is in our churches, it's in our schools, it's in our families," Krneta said. "We've got to teach our people what to do (if they suspect abuse)."
A tiny pair of infant socks among the other small shoes lined up in front of a desk in the Courthouse lobby was a striking visual representation of the devastating impact child abuse has.
Tantarras O'Guinn, who works with DHS, said it's important to teach children to recognize abuse, as well as that an abuser can be someone they love.
"We're trying to teach kids.... ways of feeling like it's not their fault," she said. "Every child has a voice... and a lot of kids aren't telling anybody."
Iesha Howard, an Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) representative who attended the event, said many mandated reporters don't realize their legal duty, and that's why efforts to educate the community on mandated reporting is so important.
"The goal is to get people to speak up and speak out and protect our children, because they're our future," she said.
Eric Stevens, also a case worker with DHS, said he previously worked in the juvenile criminal justice system, and abuse often plays a role in juvenile criminal behavior, as well as other issues, like substance abuse and mental health troubles.
"I think it's sad the way they're being treated – being neglected, being abused," he said.
Michelle Wayne, also with DCFS, said she interned with CASA, and encouraged others in the community to get involved.
"We always need more volunteers for CASA, the CALL. People should get to know what's going on," she said.
For more information about SACC or to learn more about education related to child abuse, contact the South Arkansas Children's Coalition at 870-862-2272.
South Arkansas Children's Coalition Executive Director Robin Krneta, center facing forward, speaks about child abuse during an event highlighting April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month and paying tribute to the 37 children killed by abuse in Arkansas last year. (Caitlan Butler/News-Times)
Thirteen blue balloons tied to child-sized shoes and 24 white balloons carried by volunteers represented the 37 children killed by abuse in Arkansas last year. The South Arkansas Children's Coalition paid tribute to those children during an event Friday highlighting April as National Child Abuse Awareness Month. (Caitlan Butler/News-Times)