Sharon Kennedy, who was known as Sharon Carrillo at the time of her arrest and conviction, was sentenced in Waldo County to 48 years in prison for murdering her 10-year-old daughter.
child abuse
Report highlights lingering problems in Maine’s child welfare services
An independent ombudsman’s report says caseworkers still struggle in assessing risk early in investigations and when deciding whether to reunite children with parents.
Commentary: Maine needs to repair its child welfare system again
Overuse of foster care has traumatic effects on children and families.
Vatican says bishops should report sex abuse to police
It’s the Catholic Church’s latest effort to compel religious leaders to protect minors from predator priests.
Maine’s high court rejects appeal of murder conviction in 4-year-old girl’s death
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court rejected Shawna Gatto’s claims that the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction.
Pandemic sparks concerns about child abuse in Maine
Child abuse hotline calls have declined sharply since the coronavirus closed schools in the state, cutting at-risk children off from the people most likely to report problems.
Our View: Report on abuse of Marissa Kennedy leaves much still unknown
To prevent another death like hers, we need to know why so many people missed so many signs.
Child welfare watchdog finds progress but ongoing concerns for DHHS
Lawmakers were briefed Friday on a report that highlights successes and challenges 2 years after 2 high-profile abuse deaths put a spotlight on the agency’s child welfare programs.
State’s rush to judgment almost took this boy from his family
Jaxen Steimlosk, 4, of North Yarmouth has lived with serious health problems for most of his life. But officials accused his mother of medical child abuse and tried to assume custody.
Jury finds Sharon Carrillo guilty of murder in death of 10-year-old daughter
Prosecutors say they will seek a life sentence for the 35-year-old mother in the February 2018 death of Marissa Kennedy, who had been abused for months.