Comments about ‘Unsolved child murders are a daily incident’

Surely one factor in the case solved rate is the population of the area. If there are relatively few possible suspects that would make things easier.

One thing is almost certain. Many of these children should have been given up for adoption because the parents involved were not equipped to be parents. There is an attitude that having a baby, regardless of circumstances, gives status to young mothers without a good support system. If we can change this attitude to one in which it is a heroic act to give up a child for its own wellbeing, babies born to ill-prepared parents will have a better chance.

"Infants and very young children are especially vulnerable to fatal violence from family members, whether despondent mothers suffering postpartum depression or angry stepfathers and boyfriends unhappy with the demands of unwanted parenthood."

Why don't we also focus on prevention of murder.

Death-by-stepparent is frequent and violent, as shown in recent Utah cases, including the Ethan Stoops case. I propose a method for reducing that: Anyone co-habiting with a custodial parent must undergo a background check. The results of that background check, if it reveals criminal background, particularly violent background, may trigger revisitation of custody.

Anyone co-habiting with a violent person is a questionable parent, and the other parent should have the opportunity for custody. That law may have prevented the murder of Ethan Stoop.

To be a scout leader or little league coach you have to submit to a background check with a cost of approximately $25. I don't think it unreasonable that a non-parent cohabiting with a custodial parent should have to do the same.

These numbers are horrific but far more horrific to me is the idea that most of these murders happen by way of family. Parents I know are incredibly freaked out by child abductions or stranger violence but it is much more likely to be somebody known or in the family that kills a child.

And, with a population of 350 million people, these numbers aren't the least bit surprising. I need a license to cut somebody's hair but anybody at all can have kids. So, lots will, including potential killers.

Its definitely sad when a child has to die at the hands of a parent, step-parent or other close relative. But what creeps me out even more is the relatively new trend of stranger danger that this story reveals.

Many of the unsolved killings are stranger based or unknown. This is a sad reflection of our current society its devaluation of human life.