In a desperate bid for justice, a father has taken to social media after local prosecutors declined to pursue charges against a babysitter he claims mistreated his young son. Two months ago, Mark Thompson and his partner, Jenna Clark, returned home from a night out to find their one-year-old son, Liam, in distress in his crib. The babysitter, who was supposed to be caring for him, was asleep on the couch. To their horror, the next morning, they discovered Liam covered in bruises.
They rushed him to the hospital, where medical staff documented his injuries and took photographs. Doctors even pointed out a distinct handprint bruise on Liam’s face. “The evidence was clear… there’s no denying what happened,” Thompson shared with local news outlet KPTV. However, he claims that the local District Attorney has informed him that prosecuting the case is not feasible.
Frustrated and seeking accountability, Thompson turned to Facebook to share his plight and rally support. “I usually keep family matters private,” he wrote, “But this situation is different.” He emphasized that medical professionals have highlighted the severity of the injuries, with one detective stating that the abuse “could have been fatal.”
Legal experts suggest that the challenge in prosecuting child abuse cases in Oregon stems from the stringent requirements of state law. An anonymous prosecutor explained to WTOL 11, “Cases of child abuse can be tough to prosecute due to the need for clear evidence of significant pain and serious injury, especially when there are no witnesses and the child is too young to communicate their experience.”
After waiting two months for the case to progress, Thompson expressed his frustration in his post: “We find out charges are being dropped because my toddler can’t articulate his pain. A baby shouldn’t be held to a different standard.” He concluded with a call for action, stating, “No one should be able to harm a child and escape justice just because the child cannot speak.”
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In summary, a father is seeking justice for his allegedly abused child after local prosecutors declined to file charges against the babysitter. Frustrated by the legal system’s limitations, he turned to social media to raise awareness and garner support.