South Carolina state senator Katrina Shealy is working to crack down on child abuse across the state by forming a bill that would create a statewide child advocacy department dedicated to helping agencies like DSS with their investigations.
A forensic interviewer with the Horry/Georgetown Children’s Recovery Center, Haydee Sencion says they work closely with DSS and sometimes investigations can be difficult, especially if a family moves or if a child doesn’t feel comfortable disclosing the abuse.
“Especially when parents and caregivers don’t understand the process, and sometimes they don’t even realize this is a crime.” Sencion said. “
She says they work closely with law enforcement, therapists, and the solicitor’s office but she thinks having a state department could be helpful for follow ups and tracking parents down.
“We work together to try to fill those cracks in, but I don’t know if that’s always successfully done just because things happen and people move.” Sencion said.
Children’s Advocate, and a former DSS worker, Kelly Mason says last year the recovery center saw 350 children, and so far this year it’s been 75.
“Just in the past twenty four hours we have had 16 referrals from DSS, it gets busy.” Mason said.
The bill is also aimed at addressing “parenting under the influence” and substance abuse, Laura Hudson with the crime’s victim council says 32% of all child fatalities in South Carolina last year involved substance abuse.
“Our observation on the child fatality committee is that proper action has not been taken with those individuals as care givers that are under the influence.” Hudson said.
The bill passed in the house and is currently being held up in the senate by Senator Gerald Malloy-Darlington. News 13 reached out to Malloy for a comment but didn’t get a response
