Cases involving child abuse, molestation require added care

Apr. 25—Child molestation cases often require extensive investigation to make sure proper discretion is used.

The work officers put in on these cases is something investigators are highlighting in April, which is Child Abuse Awareness Month.

This is illustrated by a recent case in Andrew County. Charges of first-degree child molestation were announced Tuesday against Jedemiah S. Hartrampf, of Barnard, Missouri, in a case under investigation by the Andrew County Sheriff's Office since the beginning of January.

The charges include multiple alleged acts by Hartrampf involving a child younger than 10 years old, according to the case's probable cause statement.

Promoting awareness of abuse and the steps taken to investigate it is important because sensitive matters are involved. The nature of the cases is also why they sometimes take longer to review, said Chief Deputy Josh Smith of the Andrew County Sheriff's Office.

"We take every step we can to ensure that we investigate this thoroughly," he said. "But at the same time, we want to make sure that we do our best to protect the victim's rights while this is going on."

Smith said that the items at the top of the list are protecting a victim's anonymity and ensuring they have a safe place to live away from further potential abuse.

"One thing we definitely don't want getting out would be the victim's identity, getting that out to the general public," he said. "A, that would compromise our investigation in what we're doing, and B, if someone is willing to speak to us after what I consider to be a trauma like that, we definitely want them to not be afraid."

Making sure victims aren't scared often is about their comfort level, so it helps to have interview specialists available, Smith said. That increases the importance of a resource like the Voices of Courage Child Advocacy Center, which works throughout Northwest Missouri, often with departments like the Andrew County Sheriff's Office.

"We like to use somebody that's certified in a forensic interview to go through and let them talk to the child, get their side of the story," Smith said.

Alex Simone can be reached at alex.simone@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter at @NPNOWSimone.