Child-abuse prevention month celebrated in Imperial Valley

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EL CENTRO, Calif.–An estimated 15,000 people packed Bucklin Park throughout the day on Saturday April 13, to celebrate Child Abuse Prevention Month at the 34th Annual Children’s Fair. “We hope that families were able to enjoy a beautiful day outside with their children and learn about the resources available to strengthen their families in Imperial County,” said Yvette Garcia, executive director of the Imperial County Child Abuse Prevention Council, the organization that co-sponsored the event with the Imperial County Office of Education. More than 70 businesses and organizations helped entertain and inform attendees young and old alike. Imperial Valley College journalism students spent the day recording the festivities. The following slideshow is a compilation of their work.

Acknowledging Child Abuse is First Step to Defeat it

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EL PASO, Texas — The two-year-old girl was found beaten to death in an apartment on the East side of El Paso, along with her badly beaten four-year-old brother. “The four-year-old brother survived,” said Al Velarde executive director of the Child Crisis Center of El Paso. The Center is trying to get the community involved during Child Abuse Prevention month to help spread the message that “spanking and hitting a child is never the right response,” Velarde said. All through April everyone in the El Paso area can show their support to abused children by tying a blue ribbon to their car antennas or by wearing blue on Fridays. “Like these children many others are still suffering the hardships of living in homes with domestic violence and poverty,” said Laura Morales, an employee at the center.