Falls Township Fire Chief Brian Salt was arrested and charged with assaulting his three-month-old daughter, causing a skull fracture. Salt admitted to intentionally dropping the infant after becoming frustrated with her crying while his wife was at work. Police say Salt initially lied about the incident, claiming he found his daughter injured. Following his arraignment on multiple charges, Salt’s bail was set at $500,000, and he has been suspended from his position.
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In West Virginia, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz were each sentenced to lengthy prison terms—215 and 160 years, respectively—for forcing their five adopted Black children into labor. The couple, who moved the children across state lines before settling in West Virginia, were found guilty of human trafficking, child neglect, and forced labor after a welfare check revealed the children’s horrific living conditions. The judge condemned the couple’s actions, highlighting the stark contrast between the children’s suffering and the state’s idyllic image. The victims delivered powerful impact statements, expressing their resilience and denouncing their abusers.
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A West Virginia couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the severe abuse of their five adopted Black children. The couple, found guilty on multiple counts including forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse, subjected the children to brutal physical and emotional abuse, including forced labor, confinement, and racist remarks. Whitefeather received up to 215 years and Lantz up to 160 years, though both are eligible for parole after significant time served. The judge condemned the couple’s actions, highlighting their lack of remorse and blaming of others for their crimes.
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Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Children, resigned following revelations of a relationship she began with a 15-year-old boy 36 years prior, resulting in a child when the boy was 16. Thórsdóttir, then a 22-year-old counselor, acknowledged the relationship and expressed regret for her actions. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir deemed the matter serious, though stating limited prior knowledge. The resignation followed an immediate meeting between the Prime Minister and the Minister following confirmation of the news.
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In December 2023, a one-year-old Taiwanese boy, Kai Kai, died from alleged torture inflicted by his foster carers, the Liu sisters. Kai Kai suffered severe injuries, including blackened genitals, missing nails, and multiple bone fractures, resulting in public outrage and over 300 protestors demanding harsher penalties, including the death penalty. The Liu sisters initially confessed but later retracted their statements, claiming the injuries were accidental. An investigation is also underway into potential negligence by social workers.
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A 32-year-old man, weighing a mere 68 pounds, was found severely emaciated after being held captive for over two decades. This shocking case highlights the horrific abuse suffered by the victim, who, incredibly, set fire to the house as a desperate plea for freedom. His desperate act underscores the unimaginable conditions he endured.
The woman accused, his stepmother, claims her now-deceased husband was responsible, attempting to shift blame for her alleged complicity in the twenty plus years of captivity. This deflection, however, fails to address her continued actions even after her husband’s passing. The reality is that she was actively involved in maintaining this situation, and her attempts to exonerate herself are deeply unsettling.… Continue reading
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) criticized police for not filing criminal charges against an officer who admitted to assaulting his children with a belt. The IPCA determined the officer’s actions constituted three counts of child assault, despite the police concluding their investigation due to insufficient admissible evidence, stemming from the officer and his wife’s refusal to allow their children to be interviewed. Police internally censured the officer for serious misconduct, a sanction the IPCA deemed grossly inadequate. The IPCA noted that the police inexplicably cited the lack of criminal proceedings as a mitigating factor in their decision.
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Jacob Weight received a 9-to-25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to starving and repeatedly beating his daughter, who was often restrained and confined to a dog crate. His co-defendant, Mimi Frost, received a 35-to-70-year sentence for her role in the abuse, described by the assistant district attorney as the worst case of child abuse she had ever encountered. The abuse included withholding food, physical beatings, and confinement in a zip-tied dog crate. Despite the severity of the abuse, the child is now thriving.
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Nicole Johnson received a 50-year prison sentence for the deaths of her 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Johnson, and 5-year-old nephew, Larry O’Neal. Their decomposing remains were discovered in Johnson’s car trunk during a 2021 traffic stop, prompting an investigation. Johnson confessed to causing Joshlyn’s death in 2020 and neglecting Larry until his death two months before the traffic stop, storing both bodies in her vehicle. The case highlights a tragic instance of child abuse and neglect within Baltimore County, where homicide rates fluctuated between 2021 and 2022.
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Sandrine Pissarra received a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years for the torture and starvation of her 13-year-old daughter, Amandine, who died weighing only 28 kg due to severe malnutrition and infected wounds. The prolonged abuse, spanning over a decade, included physical assaults, confinement, and food deprivation, driven by Pissarra’s resentment towards Amandine’s resemblance to her father. Amandine’s father, Jean-Michel Cros, received a separate sentence for his failure to protect her. The case highlights the horrific extent of the abuse and raises concerns about systemic failings to intervene.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood