Fortunately, it’s not every day that a manhunt for an escaped prisoner ends not only with his capture but the rescue of three small children suffering from apparent neglect. Unfortunately, Monday’s arrests in Oaklawn are a reminder that when kids are at risk in Wichita, it’s usually because of abusive and neglectful relatives or acquaintances rather than strangers.
It’s good to know that these innocent children in our community are out of that situation. But their discovery, on the heels of Friday’s sentencing of Jennifer Wood to 44 months in prison for “systematically” starving her stepdaughters last year, underscore again how vital the state and local child-protection systems are. They only work well, however, when the community is vigilant about watching out for kids in trouble.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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