San Diego — April 4, 2014 — In an effort to draw attention to National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the plight of thousands of abused and neglected children in San Diego County, 10 empty pairs of children’s shoes in various shapes and sizes were displayed during a media event at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. The shoes represent the children who die every year in San Diego County due to abuse or neglect. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, an average of 10 children die in the county every year from child abuse or neglect.
Charles Wilson, Senior Director of the Chadwick Center for Children & Families and Wendy Wright, the Inpatient Medical Director, addressed what the community can do to prevent child abuse and neglect. Child abuse experts also discussed the help available to the thousands of local children and families who are victims.
“Child abuse and neglect can have devastating and often lifelong consequences on a victim, that can lead to substance abuse, mental illness and even depression,” said Wilson. “This is a huge problem in our community that’s why it’s important for parents to know who their caregivers are, understand the risks of the Internet and educate children to talk to an adult if they are being victimized.”
In 2012-2013, 38,199 abuse and neglect reports were made to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Child Abuse Hotline, representing nearly 70,000 children in San Diego County. To contact the Chadwick Center, call 858-966-5803 or email ChadwickCenter@rchsd.org. To report a suspected case of child abuse or neglect contact the Child Abuse Hotline at 858-560-2191.
Click here to watch a video from the news conference.
Media Contact: Carlos Delgado
858-966-4901 (office)
cdelgado@rchsd.org
About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego:
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is a 520-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, Southern Riverside and Imperial counties. Rady Children’s is the only hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. In June 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in all ten pediatric specialties the magazine surveyed. For more information, visit www.rchsd.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube.