Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been about a 50-percent drop in calls to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. With children out of school many crimes against children go unnoticed and unreported since hotline calls typically came from mandated reporters in schools, day cares and churches.

The Marshall Police Department decided to take a look at the reports involving juvenile and child/abuse hotline cases in the city of Marshall.

In April/May of 2019, the Marshall Police Department had 64 crimes involving juveniles and 17 hotline calls. While children were quarantined in April/May of 2020, the reports showed 46 crimes involving juveniles and 12 hotline calls. When the children returned to school in August/September 2020, the data showed 54 crimes involving juveniles and 17 hotline calls. So the City of Marshall did see a drop in crimes involving juveniles and hotline calls, while children were quarantined.

According to Marshall Police Chief Mike Donnell there are a number of crimes involving children his department deals with.

Chief Donnell says it’s important while our children are quarantined and not attending school, that we check on their well-being.

Members of certain occupational groups, such as teachers, social workers, and physicians are mandated by law to make reports to the hotline and are considered mandated reporters. If you believe something has happened to, or you witness one of these crimes to a child, you are urged to contact the Police at 911 or 660-886-7411. The Child Abuse and Neglect hotline number is 800-392-3738.