Although homicide rates have declined in Cleveland, city data shows children face an increased risk of violence and homicide.
Of the 165 homicides investigated by Cleveland police in 2023, 22 of the victims were children and eight were under the age of 10. All were victims of shootings or child abuse. One in five victims was under the age of 25.
“I've never seen anything like this in my life, and I'm a senior member.” [of Cleveland City Council]'' Michael Polensek, chairman of the city's Public Safety Commission, told FOX News Digital.
He said the current level of youth violence (violence against and by minors) is unprecedented.
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While homicides in Cleveland have gradually declined since 2020, child homicides have trended in the opposite direction, with 22 minor victims in 2023. (Fox 8 Cleveland)
There were slightly more homicides in 2022, with a total of 168, but 19 of the victims were under 18. There were 171 homicides in 2021, according to data provided to FOX News Digital by Mayor Justin Bibb's office. . Thirteen of the victims were minors.
Three-year-old Curtis Lee James Witcher was also found unresponsive in his stroller, and the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma. Her mother, Timeka Eggleton, was charged with aggravated murder, felonious assault and child endangerment, according to Cleveland.com.
In October, another 3-year-old, Luis Diaz, was killed in a drive-by shooting. FOX8 reported.
“I've never seen anything like this in my life.”
“These are children who will become scholars, artists, athletes, engineers, and doctors. Unfortunately, because of gun violence in our communities, they will never have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Bibb said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
According to data provided by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, 41 juveniles, mostly from Cleveland, were jailed on murder charges in 2023. They are said to have caused a total of 30 victims in 27 incidents. The previous year, there were 35 murder suspects in prison, with a total of 27 victims. In 2021, there were 22 cases and 16 victims.
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The number of juveniles charged with murder in Cuyahoga County has nearly doubled since 2021, with 41 youth jailed for murder, most of them from Cleveland. (Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office)
According to WEWS, the mayor of Cleveland Heights called for intervention on gun violence after a 15-year-old girl and a 22-year-old man were shot and killed earlier this year. Bibb announced in December that 29 organizations in Northeast Ohio would receive grants from the Cleveland Safety Fund to help curb violence in the city, especially among youth, WKYC reported. did.
“As I have publicly stated in the past, I believe the juvenile justice system in this county is completely broken. Children and families are not a priority,” Polensek said. “Our priorities are misaligned in this county.
“What do we continue to be force-fed? The Browns, the Cavaliers, the Indians, the sports complex? , let's spend billions of dollars on things like that,” Polensek said. He said.
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Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb (Sarah Rice of The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“I'm very frustrated,” he continued. “We have to find a way to save these children from themselves and protect our communities. If that doesn't happen, this situation will not get any better. But I don't see anything that tells us the county is going to do the following.'' I really understand the seriousness of the problem. ”
Jennifer Johnson, director of the Canopy Child Advocacy Center in Cleveland, told Fox News Digital that while reports of child abuse have decreased since 2020, she has seen an “increase in abuse fatalities” since that year.
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She said the nonprofit has seen an increase in the number of minors “obtaining weapons and committing violence” over the past two years.
“We've been seeing this coming for the past few years. We're seeing an increase in mental health issues because we don't have as many therapists,” Johnson said. “That's because therapists are paid less. There's just a storm going on that has a domino effect on each other.”
In Cleveland, there is a “continuous lack of consistent resources” for troubled youth, she said. She said there have been many pop-up programs in the past, but “it's hard to consistently raise money.”
