Proceedings are now underway in the prosecution of Melissa Huckaby of Tracey, California for the drugging, rape, and murder of 8 year old Sandra Cantu in March 2009. Media outlets have reported that Huckaby was investigated a month or so before Sandra Cantu's murder in connection with the brief disappearance of another young girl who was also drugged. Police initially expected to charge a man with this crime. Cantu's family was shocked to learn that their neighbor, a Sunday school teacher with her own 5 year old little girl, was arrested in connection with Sandra's death.

People who are capable of harming our children do not carry a sign or advertise their dangerous intentions. They befriend us, manipulate us, and deceive us while they work up the courage to act upon their beastly desires. It is up to us to be vigilant in the protection of our children.

*Be present for play dates with other children - do not trust other parents to supervise your child unless you know for good and certain that they are trustworthy. This means you have known them well and for years. You have been in their home, you know where they work, every vehicle that they drive, all their phone numbers, their friends and family members, and you have spent time with them.

*Trust your instincts - if you do not feel comfortable with a situation involving someone spending time around your child there is probably a good reason. Err on the side of caution.

*Don't give in to the will of your child - children and adolescents live very much in the present with very little thought for future consequences. They think they are invincible and that bad things only happen to other people. Our babies are not always going to immediately appreciate our protectiveness but I promise they will thank you later.

Thanks Mom.

aleigh77@live.com

This reminded me of once a few years ago. Me and my son (then around 4 or 5) went to the playground at McFarland. There were a couple of other children there and as as I sit and watched my son...another mom came up to me and said she needed to go up to the bathrooms. She ask me if I would watch her child. I had no idea who this person was and she didn't know who I was. I thought about it later on and wondered if this mom really had a clue about what could've happened if I had been someone else. I would never do anything hurtful to a child...but this person didn't have a clue.