St. Landry Abuse Cases Rise
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
St. Landry Parish agencies that investigate cases involving child and elderly abuse are publicizing their concerns through a non-profit organization that sponsored an initial awareness event held on Saturday.
The Archangels Foundation started by Melville resident and musical artist Vaughn Goudeau, and Opelousas John Lamke, promoted the prevention and awareness campaign at Bosco’s on U.S. 190 between Opelousas and Port Barre.
During an Archangels kickoff press conference held last month, parish law enforcement, church officials and local groups dedicated towards handling the abuse issues, explained the importance of making the public aware of problems they say continues to exist in St. Landry.
Goudeau said he eventually hopes to get Crimestoppers involved as well as more state and local officials.
Captain Lynette Davis, a detective employed by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department, told St. Landry Now.com that cases of child and elderly abuse are ongoing issue.
“We are seeing a lot of problems with the elderly from their caregivers. We work a lot of cases where there are accusations of instrument fraud and mental or physical abuse for people who are elderly.
“Also we see cases where parents are using their kids’ social security cards for illegal purposes. There is also other types of child abuse we work. You can say that when you talk about child and elderly abuse,we have just about seen it all,” she said.
Members of Hearts of Hope, which has children’s advocacy centers in both Opelousas and Lafayette, said child abuse is pervasive in both parishes.
“It’s a very prevalent problem. It’s an issue that we deal with every day. I would say that we have seen about 500 cases of physical or violent abuse each year,” said CAC forensic services program manager Lacey Pitre.
Pitre said that she and Kourtneii Henderson, the regional care coordinator for the CAC, coordinate allegations of abuse with law enforcement.
The CAC, according to Henderson, is funded by grants and donations which non-profit organizations like the Archangels seek to support.
Goudeau said the Archangels Foundation also plans to take their concerns to state lawmakers in order to enact legislation to toughen laws connected to child and elderly abuse.
Pitre said the CAC is attempting to continue investigating child trafficking and abuse. The agency also handles therapy services for children, Pitre added.
Rev. Dale Fontenot said his church ministry in the northern portion of St. Landry, sponsors afternoon tutoring and mentoring for school-age students.
Fontenot said his church is planning to work with Archangels as other preventative wing of care for children.
