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Is There a Sex Offender in Your Neighborhood?
By Christina Quick | April 3, 2008
The story this week of a 7-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by a neighbor is a tragic reminder of the dangers that can lurk in our own backyards.
Hser Nay Moo, of South Salt Lake, Utah, was found dead Tuesday in the bathroom of a neighbor’s apartment a day after she was reported missing. The suspect lived in the same apartment complex as the girl’s family.
Though this appears to have occurred in a poor neighborhood, people who prey on children can literally reside anywhere. Even gated fences and security systems can’t ward off evil. That’s why it’s a good idea for all parents to be aware of who lives nearby.
Thanks to Megan’s Law, a piece of federal legislation adopted in 1996, members of the public have the right to know where convicted sex offenders live and work. To find out if there are sex offenders in your neighborhood, check the U.S. Justice Department’s National Sex Offender Public Web site.
Another helpful resource is Family Watchdog. In addition to offering several search options, this free Web service provides neighborhood maps showing where sex offenders are located in a given area.
These sites are not intended to provide information about individuals so their neighbors can harass them or try to make them move. Such behavior is against the law and certainly has no place in the life of a Christian. Nonetheless, being alert to the presence of people who could pose a threat to your children makes sense.
Of course, even if your neighborhood is free of sex offenders, it doesn’t mean all is safe. In the Utah case, the suspect apparently had no prior convictions in the U.S. and was a family acquaintance. Police haven’t said whether the girl was sexually assaulted, but either way the registry would not have identified this man as a threat.
The best policy is to know where your children are at all times and teach them never to go with anyone without your permission. If someone makes them uncomfortable, they should immediately tell a parent or guardian.
I’m not suggesting parents live in a constant state of paranoia, casting suspicious glances at everyone in the neighborhood. But it’s our job to do all we can to keep our kids safe — whether they’re surfing the Internet or playing in the yard.
Topics: In the news |
April 26th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I’m an AG children’s pastor. We do background checks, applications, etc.
But I’m also heavily involved in getting church folks involved in a variety of non-children’s ministries as well.
Do you know any resources that help sex offenders. I’m also looking for a list of ministry opportunities that would make sense for someone who got out of jail for child abuse, and now wants to follow Christ.
Also, I was saddened by the current AG News Headline reading: “Protection program helps keep sexual predators out of church” I think they meant out of children’s ministry, but its not far from the truth for most churches.
AG News Headline doesn’t make it easy to submit feedback, so I haven’t been able to direct my comment. But your article seemed similar.
April 28th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I noticed the AG News Headline title change to “Protection program helps keep children safe at church.” That sounds much better.
I just discovered that I can add your blog feed to my igoogle account. Thank you to all of your PE staff who run a blog.