2,900,000 of child abuse cases / year on U.S.A of wich 33% is physical abuse. Second leading cause of death in child less than 5 years old.

**WARNING***

 PHOTOS CONTAINED  PHOTOS CONTAINED AT THE END OF THIS BLOG ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL READERS... PLEASE BE ADVISED.

At 6:40 a.m. on November 2, 1987. The cops and emergency medical service personnel were dispatched to 14 West 10th Street in New York City. Once inside the apartment, they were met by a man holding a little girl, unconscious, bruised, and blue. In the back of the room, an infant was tied to a playpen, his clothes soaked with urine. Both children were filthy.  The mother was also in a poor state; her lip split, her face had cuts, and her eyes and nose were bruised.  The little girl was Elizabeth Steinberg, the adoptive daughter of Joel Steinberg, a criminal attorney, and Hedda Nussbaum, a former editor and writer of children's books for Random House.

Joel Steinberg was admitted to the bar without taking the bar exam under a unique program that made an exception for students whose studies were interrupted by military service. Those who knew him described him as manipulative and occasionally verbally abusive to women. As a lawyer, he was average; his clients were mostly drug-related, and it is alleged that he was an avid drug user.

Hedda Nussbaum was a public school teacher.  In 1974 she entered the Random House publishing company; she wrote two children's books, both published by Random House in 1977 and 1979. Spousal abuse, "Battered woman syndrome," was largely unknown in the eighties. On November 2, when brought to the hospital, Dr. Neil Spiegel, who examined her, stated she had suffered a broken nose, large bruises on her right buttock, multiple broken ribs, and life-threatening ulcers on her legs. Her abuse was short of being killed.

Elizabeth (Lisa) Steinberg was born on May 1981 in lower Manhattan. She was the daughter of two college student who was unable to provide for her. Opposed to abortion, they trusted their physician to arrange for the baby to be adopted. The physician introduced Joel Steinberg as an adoption lawyer; he was to find a suitable family for the baby. No legal adoption was ever arranged; he took her home and kept her.

 Lisa was only six years old and never regained consciousness. Doctors and nurses who examined her discovered cuts on her arms, legs, abdomen, stomach, and head. Her feet and ankles were covered with black dirt and grime. Her hair was a mess and had not to been washed for some time; she had a large bruise on her forehead, and they also discovered an unusual bruise near the center of her lower back; her upper back was covered with both old and new bruises, red, black, and blue. Both calves had yellowish-brown marks.

Over 67,000 child abuse was reported in 1987, and at least 42 children died. The abusers were part of the upper middle class; they were well-established and financially secure. So why is this case made the front page? Hedda Nussbaum shocked the public to the core with her physical appearance. Four days after her arrival at the hospital, Lisa was removed from life support and died.
Joel Steinberg and Nussbaum were arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of a child. The trial opened on October 25 with a camera in the courtroom. 16-month-old Mitchell, Lisa's brother, and the second adopted child was turned to the Human resources Dept. The great controversy was felt by Manhattan's district Attorney Robert.M. Morgenthau, who decided he would not prosecute Hedda Nussbaum and use her testimony against her former lover. She could have been the little girl's salvation on the night of November 2. but she chose not to pick up the phone and call for help.


During the proceedings, Dr. Douglas C. Miller of the New York University Medical Center stated that Lisa's brain damage was "a blunt head trauma and nothing else."  He used the example of the head blows suffered by professional boxers, who sometimes die from them; Lisa's brain had been smashed into the walls of her skull, thus, no fracture.
When Lisa died, New York City's municipal government, which has countless commissions, departments, social service agencies, family courts, and programs dedicated to its citizens' welfare, was put on trial. On January 30, 1989, Joel Steinberg was found "not guilty" of second-degree murder and "guilty" of first-degree manslaughter. He denied any wrongdoing and was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years.
Joel Steinberg did 18 years of a maximum of a 25-year sentence.

In a report from 1997 from the CDC, the United States had the highest number of child homicide, suicide, and firearms-related deaths of 26 developed countries; of course, children have been abused throughout history. Some believe we are just beginning to face the prevalence and significance of child abuse; others worry that many people have become obsessed with it and deny personal responsibility for their problems.  

I believe any child abuse is inflicted by mentally ill perpetrators. These men or women, regardless of race, age, and social status, have crossed the decency threshold when they use excessive force to discipline or any other abuse for the first time and do not seek help.  Otherwise, how can one justify inhuman tortures inflicted on harmless infants or children?

The other big problem is the agencies' bureaucracy responsible for protecting them. Overloaded by many cases, they sometimes forget they are dealing with and representing innocent and helpless children who count on them for their safety.  

The different agencies had ample warning for Lisa.  The tenants at the Steinbergs and their neighbors were very outspoken. "We reported it to all the proper agencies," one said. A neighbor said she called a child abuse hotline, and the responding investigator couldn't find sufficient evidence; William Grinker, then New York's commissioner of human resources, said that the reports of child abuse at the Steinberg household were mishandled. I believe that Mr. Steinberg being a lawyer, had much to do with the lack of throughout the investigation.  

Child abuse prevention and recognition: Child welfare information gateway

  

Share the Message … Children Deserve to Be Safe

Before today is over, 3 CHILDREN WILL DIE from being abused. At least one will be a baby - less than a year old. The other two probably haven't yet celebrated their 5th birthday. More than 510 other children will be physically abused today, and another 270 will be sexually abused.

 In total, over 2,700 children will be abused today. Tomorrow - the horror starts all over again, just as it does every day.

Child abuse is an American epidemic. And yet - children continue to die every day. Other children continue to be hurt. And as they grow up - studies show that they will most likely abuse their children, perpetuating the cycle of violence.

A blue ribbon is an international symbol of Child Abuse Prevention. Blue was chosen to represent the bruised and battered bodies of the thousands of children abused every day. It is a constant reminder that we all have a responsibility to help keep children safe.

***WARNING***

THESE PHOTOS CONTAIN EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES & MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN... PLEASE BE ADVISED. 

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