Chambers County Commission passes proclamation on child abuse, names Correctional officer of the Quarter
Published 6:00 pm Tuesday, April 2, 2019
LaFAYETTE — April is Child Abuse Month in the state of Alabama, and the Chambers County Commission passed a resolution Monday night to remind residents that physical, emotion and sexual abuse of children in the county is a serious problem.
The resolution says as many as one in four girls and one in five boys are a victim of child abuse during childhood, according to national statistics. However, the Chambers County Department of Human Resources reviewed 176 reports and found that 71 children had been sexually or physically abused within the county in 2018.
Additionally, the Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center conducted interviews for 68 children and about 350 therapy sessions for child abuse victims within Chambers County in 2018, the resolution states.
“The public needs to be aware of the serious nature and prevalence of child abuse in order to help prevent abuse and to report its occurrence,” the resolution reads.
The commission also received an update on the contaminated soil found at the jail expansion site in LaFayette.
In March, Chambers County Attorney Skip McCoy said soil testing by Carmichael Construction had revealed non-hazardous contamination on the construction site near the railroad tracks.
On Monday, he said all the contaminated dirt has been removed from the site and is not hazardous.
McCoy said work will continue as construction crews are cutting the soil at the site to subgrade level and are in the process of installing drain pipes on the south end and then moving to the north end.
McCoy said crews hope to be in a position to pour concrete in the next two weeks.
“We hope to see construction work going in a positive manner soon,” he said. “Hopefully, by the time April ends, and if the weather holds, we will be able to see some significant improvement.”
Also at the meeting, Chambers County Correctional Officer Kasie Broome was named Correctional Officer of the Quarter by Chambers County Major Tommy Sims for her “outstanding dedication to the citizens of the Chambers County and the detention center.”