Frank Lautenberg: “today I rise to talk about Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child Abuse Prevention Month was established 20 years ago by…”

“today I rise to talk about Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child Abuse Prevention Month was established 20 years ago by Presidential proclamation and since then, this month has been devoted to raising awareness about this tragic problem. This year holds particular sadness for those of us from New Jersey. This past January, 7-year-old Faheem Williams was found dead in a Newark, NJ, basement where he and his two brothers had been imprisoned for weeks. He had been starved and beaten. With Faheem were his twin, Raheem, and 4-year-old brother Tyrone, both of whom were found to be malnourished and dehydrated. All of this occurred under the supervision of the State agency that placed these three boys in foster care. His death marks a tragic failure on the part of our State and country, as do the deaths of thousands of children each year. Mr. President, I was at Faheem's funeral. That day I said that it didn't matter whether his death was due to neglect or direct abuse. We cannot permit another child to go through this ever again. Across the country last year, 879,000 children were victims of child abuse and neglect, of whom approximately 1,200 died from maltreatment. According to the national organization, Prevent Child Abuse America, three children die every day from abuse or neglect at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them. I don't need to say that one is too many.…”