This letter is in response to the article that was in the paper last week.

I recently had the unfortunate experience to have been part of a suspected child abuse case.

I say unfortunate, since the departments meant to help the children seem so easy to dismiss the gravity of the issue.

The incident involved a young child who had left home on a number of occasions. The child had expressed to me and had even written in letters that she was tired of her life and wanted to kill her self.

I talked with her and told her to try to talk to her father. She simply stated, “You can’t talk to him.”

I told her I would talk to him. BIG mistake, she was right!

When I tried to talk to him he looked as if he wanted to hit me and threatened me with harm if I didn’t leave his property. “With tears, the child said, “See I told you, you can’t talk to him.”

That child had already expressed to my daughter that the father was abusive. On two occasions, I saw bruises, but when I asked she would not tell me, until the day before she was sent to juvenile hall.

Yes, the child suspected of being abused was sent away instead of her “hot head” father. That night the cops came looking for her; I told the cops all of my concerns, especially the one of her wanting to commit suicide.

The cop said, “Well if a person wants to kill themselves their going to do it.”

Way to go! Thanks, officer for caring for our precious children! Then again, no thanks, because even your negative words won’t make me give up on her.

All she needs is at least one person who really cares, and I’m right here.

Next, our social services personnel, shame on you.

When you were told of the suspected abuse, your response was it is in her fathers Hispanic culture to discipline in that fashion.

Excuse me, what about the Hispanic culture that takes care of the family, especially the women and children.

Yes, the child left home on numerous occasions, but why?

Did I forget to mention that the other children in the household have similar problems?

Oh and yes, violence in the home is documented with our police officers; maybe the cops are tired, too, just like the child.

I have now come to call the child a “diamond.” I call this child a diamond because right now the police and her parents see her as a problem, black, toxic, just like a lump of coal, but like a lump of coal that is brought about by constant unrelenting pressure ,there is something precious inside.

One only needs to take the time to discover it, and this letter is for her because she is a diamond. Lastly, child abuse is truly “our problem.”

Don’t be discouraged by people when they say discouraging words or threaten you with harm for defending a child.

Some may want to call you a busy body but that is a small price to pay for possibly saving a life or at least changing one.

Take the time to understand that abused children can be just as toxic and deadly to our society as a coal mine; they will grow up with no respect or regard for others.

Only when one cares enough to break off the black ugly layer of abuse can a diamond’s sheer beauty become apparent, and only then can they illuminate our society now and in the future.