When a child custody battle is a life or death matter

All too often, child custody battles involve some level of child abuse. Countless parents across the nation have experienced the crippling stress of attempting to gain full custody of children in dire situations. When an ex-spouse or partner fails to provide their child with proper emotional and physical care, that failure constitutes as abuse. Parents in Kansas City have the right to dispute child custody arrangements when they fear their children are unsafe.

There are answers to child custody battles involving abuse, but in the case of one Kansas City grandparent, that answer came too late. Last month, KSHB News reported on the tragic death of three-year-old Evan Brewer, whose remains were found at the home of his mother and her boyfriend. KSHB shared that, in September of this year, the father of the child had filed a protection from abuse order against the couple. The father claimed that the boyfriend would beat Evan extensively. Even more shockingly, complaints of abuse to the child landed in the records of the Department of Children and Families just days before the child died. The father of Evan heavily criticized the state’s lack of involvement in such cases, demanding more attention spent on addressing child abuse.

Kansas City’s Child Protection Center, an organization dedicated to preventing and addressing child abuse and serving as a platform of safety for victims, lists some of the warning signs that a child is suffering from issues at home. Below are some of the signs that a child may be experiencing abuse:

• Promiscuous behavior
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Sexual knowledge beyond their age
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of interest in life

CPC urges adults to keenly observe these warning signs, and to take action if they suspect a child is exposed to any kind of abuse. And while many Kansas City dwellers condemn the state system in its approach to such cases, CPC is one of many organizations in Missouri offering help to those in need.