Child Abuse California

The case that exposed shortcomings in Los Angeles County's overburdened criminal justice and child welfare systems reached its conclusion Friday as a judge sentenced a Hollywood man to 21 years to life in prison for beating to death his 2 1/2-year-old son. David Helms, 37, showed no emotion as Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler handed down the maximum sentence for the 1995 slaying--a crime for which Helms' girlfriend was originally imprisoned.

For 15 years, Dennis Mooney was a foster parent, caring for the emotionally scarred, physically neglected children who were the castoffs of drug addicts, abusers and petty criminals. Seared into his memory is the plight of newborn twin boys severely addicted to the heroin ingested by their mother during pregnancy. Simple feedings, Mooney remembers, took hours as the babies' bodies fought to reject life-sustaining nourishment.

A new state law requiring clergy to report child abuse--except when they learn about it through confidential confessions--is being welcomed by organized religion as an overdue obligation that also strikes a blow at church cover-ups of sexual molestation by pastors. The law, in effect since Jan.

The case that exposed shortcomings in Los Angeles County's overburdened criminal justice and child welfare systems reached its conclusion Friday as a judge sentenced a Hollywood man to 21 years to life in prison for beating his 2-year-old son to death. David Helms, 37, showed no emotion as Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler handed down the maximum sentence for the 1995 slaying--a crime for which Helms' girlfriend originally was imprisoned.

For 15 years, Dennis Mooney was a foster parent, caring for the emotionally scarred, physically neglected children who were the castoffs of drug addicts, abusers and petty criminals. Seared into his memory is the plight of newborn twin boys severely addicted to the heroin ingested by their mother during pregnancy. Simple feedings, Mooney remembers, took hours as the babies' bodies fought to reject life-sustaining nourishment.

Buffeted by reports of troubles in California's child welfare system, state lawmakers are considering an $81-million plan to improve oversight and care for abused, abandoned and delinquent children. Among the areas targeted for attention is the over-medication of some of the 15,000 children housed in the state's network of group homes. A state task force has also proposed an increase in funding for more frequent social worker visits to ensure that children are receiving proper care.

Religious cult leader Tony Alamo, appearing in a courtroom packed with longtime followers, was ordered Friday to be moved to Arkansas to face charges that he threatened to kidnap and hang a federal judge.

The number of child custody fights have risen sharply in recent years, as have pressures on families and awareness of domestic violence and child abuse, experts said. The number of custody mediation cases jumped 24% over the past three years, according to a new survey by the statewide Office of Family Court Services. "I think more people are suffering," said Larry Lehner, coordinator of a training conference for mediators from throughout the state. "Families are under a great deal of stress."

Susan Jarreau did not remember being sexually abused until more than 10 years after it happened. By then, she found, there was little she could do about it. Jarreau, 36, of Encino, said she was abused from the age of 6 until she was 14. After the memories surfaced in her early 20s, the wife of singer-songwriter Al Jarreau sought therapy.

The case that exposed shortcomings in Los Angeles County's overburdened criminal justice and child welfare systems reached its conclusion Friday as a judge sentenced a Hollywood man to 21 years to life in prison for beating his 2-year-old son to death. David Helms, 37, showed no emotion as Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler handed down the maximum sentence for the 1995 slaying--a crime for which Helms' girlfriend originally was imprisoned.

The case that exposed shortcomings in Los Angeles County's overburdened criminal justice and child welfare systems reached its conclusion Friday as a judge sentenced a Hollywood man to 21 years to life in prison for beating to death his 2 1/2-year-old son. David Helms, 37, showed no emotion as Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler handed down the maximum sentence for the 1995 slaying--a crime for which Helms' girlfriend was originally imprisoned.

Buffeted by reports of troubles in California's child welfare system, state lawmakers are considering an $81-million plan to improve oversight and care for abused, abandoned and delinquent children. Among the areas targeted for attention is the over-medication of some of the 15,000 children housed in the state's network of group homes. A state task force has also proposed an increase in funding for more frequent social worker visits to ensure that children are receiving proper care.

A new state law requiring clergy to report child abuse--except when they learn about it through confidential confessions--is being welcomed by religious leaders as an overdue obligation that also strikes a blow at church cover-ups of sexual molestation. The law, which went into effect Jan.

A new state law requiring clergy to report child abuse--except when they learn about it through confidential confessions--is being welcomed by organized religion as an overdue obligation that also strikes a blow at church cover-ups of sexual molestation by pastors. The law, in effect since Jan.

Faced with a tide of child abuse and neglect that leads the nation, California is faltering in trying to grapple with the problem, state researchers reported Friday. Almost half the cases of abuse or neglect reported to authorities result in repeat episodes, often because the counties responsible for checking on reports of a child in danger simply "screen out" the information and do not respond, according to the state legislative analyst's office.

The father of two Orange County boys suing to "divorce" their parents has agreed to temporarily surrender custody of the youngsters, the boys' lawyers said Friday. Richard C. Gilbert, one of two attorneys representing the boys, aged 11 and 15, said the father had agreed to let them live with the younger boy's birth mother.

A new state law requiring clergy to report child abuse--except when they learn about it through confidential confessions--is being welcomed by religious leaders as an overdue obligation that also strikes a blow at church cover-ups of sexual molestation. The law, which went into effect Jan.

Alleging that they have been physically and emotionally abused all their lives, two Orange County brothers are attempting to "divorce" their parents in a court action that their attorney says is the first of its kind in California. In a Superior Court lawsuit filed Thursday, the elder brother, who is 15, is seeking to end his relationship with his father and stepmother, claiming that they constantly beat and mistreated him. Family Court Commissioner Richard G.

Alleging that they have been physically and emotionally abused all their lives, two Orange County brothers are attempting to "divorce" their parents in a court action that their attorney says is the first of its kind in California. In a Superior Court lawsuit filed Thursday, the elder brother, who is 15, is seeking to end his relationship with his father and stepmother, claiming that they constantly beat and mistreated him. Family Court Commissioner Richard G.

The number of child custody fights have risen sharply in recent years, as have pressures on families and awareness of domestic violence and child abuse, experts said. The number of custody mediation cases jumped 24% over the past three years, according to a new survey by the statewide Office of Family Court Services. "I think more people are suffering," said Larry Lehner, coordinator of a training conference for mediators from throughout the state. "Families are under a great deal of stress."