WASHINGTON -- Advocates for children in the Washington area said it's not a coincidence that the number of child abuse and neglect cases has risen as the economy has slumped.
The vice president of the Child Welfare League of America, Linda Spears, said history has shown that children don't do well when unemployment rises.
The number of abuse and neglect cases rose 23 percent this year in Fairfax County, 29 percent in Montgomery County and 18 percent in D.C. Neglect investigations appear to have increased most, as struggling families live without heat or electricity or fail to get children medical care.
At Childhelp USA, a national hotline, officials say calls reporting physical abuse have risen about 10 percent in recent weeks.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
