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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Nearly all face-to-face child abuse exams suspended in Palm Beach County during coronavirus pandemic

Credit: WPTV News | West Palm Beach
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Nearly all face-to-face child abuse exams suspended in Palm Beach County during coronavirus pandemic
Nearly all face-to-face child abuse exams suspended in Palm Beach County during coronavirus pandemic

Face-to-face child abuse exams have been suspended in Palm Beach County despite an abundance of protective personnel equipment.

Contact 5 investigator Merris Badcock found out some local lawmakers are trying to figure out why.

ABUNDANCE OF PROTECTIVEPERSONAL EQUIPMENT.

CONTACT 5INVESTIGATOR MERRIS BADCOCKFOUND OUTÃSOME LOCALLAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO FIGUREOUT WHY.<< MORE THAN 50 MASKS ON HAND,115 ADULT GOWNS, 700 GLOVESAND 4 BOTTLES OF HANDSANITIZER..

ALL IN INVENTORYAT THE CHILD PROTECTION TEAMOF PALM BEACH COUNTY --- ASTATE RUN HEALTH TEAMDEDICATED TO EXAMINING ANDINTERVIEWING CHILDREN WHO MAYBE RECENT VICTIMS OF CHILDABUSE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

ITA SERVICE REQUIRED BY LAW, ANDFUNDED BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS.WEFOR THESE CHILDREN TO BEPHYSICALLY SEEN BY A DOCTOR,BECAUSE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSEHAVE BEEN MADE.

AND YET &ACCORDING TO THIS EMAIL TOCOMMISSIONER MELISSA MCKINLAYÃTHE CHILD PROTECTION TEAMHAS REFUSED TO DO IN- PERSONMEDICAL EXAMINATIONS OF ALLCHILDRENÃCITING CORONAVIRUSCONCERNS.ÃTHATEXAMINATION THAT CAN BE DONEUSING TELEMEDICINE.

MCKINLAYWAS EVEN MORE BLUNT IN HEREMAIL RESPONSE...ÃRIGHT NOWFAMILIES ARE UNDER A LOT OFPRESSURE.

WEDOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE RISE,AND IBEING ON THE RISE IS ALSOASSOCIATED WITH CHILD ABUSEBEING ON THE RISE.ÃTHIS ISNOT THE TIME TO SHORTCUT DOINGAN EXAMINATION OF CHILD ABUSEWHEN ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEENBAD.

THE CHILD PROTECTION TEAMSENT PALM BEACH COUNTY A BILLFOR 34 NON-SEXUAL ASSAULTMEDICAL CONSULTATIONS DONE INTHE MONTH OF MARCH.

THE COSTTO TAXPAYERS - $10,200 OR $300PER CONSULT&.A CHARGE THECOUNTY IS REFUSING TOREIMBURSE SINCE THEY BELIEVETHE TEAM SHOULD BE DOING IN-PERSON EXAMS.ÃTHAT IS ANESSENTIAL SERVICE, IF EVERTHERE WAS ONE AND NOTSOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BECIRCUMVENTING RIGHT NOW.

NOW &LAWMAKERS LIKE SENATOR LORIBERMAN ARE TRYING TO FIGUREOUT WHO GREEN-LIGHTED THECHANGE IN PROTOCOL.ÃI THINKTHE EXAMS SHOULD ALWAYS BEENDONE IN PERSON.

THESE ARE VERYAT RISK CHILDREN.

WE WANT TOMAKE SURE THEY ARE PROTECTED.SHETHEIR OWN POWER POINT&.CPTMUST BE CALLED IN TOINVESTIGATE IF THERE ARE ANYCLAIMS OF THINGS LIKE INJURIESTO THE HEAD, BRUISES ORALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE OF ACHILD.ÃAPRIL IS ACTUALLYNATIONAL CHILD ABUSEPREVENTION MONTH SO ITOF IRONIC HERE WE ARE IN THEMONTH SO ITTHAT HERE WE ARE IN THE MONTHWHERE WEMAKING SURE HAT AWE DO PROTECTCHILDREN FROM ABUSE,A ND WEHAVING A SITUATION WHERE OURCHILD ABUSE SYSTEM MIGHT NOTBE DOING ALL THE THINGS THATTHEY CAN AND SHOULD BE DOINGON BEHALF OF OUR CHILDREN.MERRIS BADCOCK WPTV NEWCHANNEL5.WE REACHED OUT NUMEROUS TIMESTO THE CHILD PROTECTION TEAMOF PALM BEACH COUNTY.

CONTACT5 CALLED, EMAILED AND LEFTMESSAGES, BUT HAS NOT GOTTEN ARESPONSE.

WE WILL KEEP YOUUPDATED ON THIS STORY AS ITUNFOLDS.TONIGHT - A LOOK AT WHY SOCIALDISTANCING IS SO IMPORTANT,WH

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