Prosecutor Recognizes April as Child Abuse Awareness Month
DAYTON, OH (4/3/2018) – At CARE House, Montgomery County’s Children’s Advocacy Center,
Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck, Jr. kicked off National Child Abuse Awareness Month.
Present were representatives from the other CARE House partners, which include the Montgomery
County Sheriff’s Office, the Dayton Police Department, Montgomery County Jobs and Family Services,
and Dayton Children’s Hospital.
Prosecutor Heck noted that since 1983, April has been designated as Child Abuse Awareness Month in
order to call attention to the problem of child abuse and neglect. More importantly, Child Abuse
Awareness Month serves to remind the public of the signs to look for to identify child abuse and
neglect and to make the public aware of ways they can become involved and help. Prosecutor Heck
challenged every citizen in Montgomery County to help protect the children in our community by
reporting suspected child abuse or neglect to authorities. “Help us! See something, say something!”,
he added.
Prosecutor Heck also presented the 2018 Champion of Children Award to acknowledge the
extraordinary results that can be obtained when citizens become involved. This year, the award went
to Lucie Gaye Gerren. Gaye has been a guidance counselor at the Miami Valley Career Technology
Center for the past 20 years. She takes great pleasure in actively supporting the well‐being of students,
and especially when they have been a victim of abuse of sexual assault. Gaye has encouraged students
to contact the Prosecutor’s Victim/Witness Division 24‐hour crisis line from her office when they do
not feel safe at home to make that call. Gaye has been a liaison for students who need a safe place to
make a difficult phone call. She has often reached out to the Prosecutor’s Office whenever a student
has been a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence and has called looking for advice or for referral
information. Most importantly, she has also always been willing to get involved and report any criminal
behavior to law enforcement or Children Services.
While acknowledging Ms. Gerren’s actions, Prosecutor Heck commented, “I want to personally
commend Gaye. She recognizes the importance of protecting children from the dangers of abuse, and
is not afraid to get involved.”
“I am thankful for brave advocates for children like Gaye. She is very deserving of this year’s Champion
of Children Award.”
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For more information contact Greg Flannagan, Public Information Officer at 937.225.5610 or flannagang@mcohio.org.
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