Monday Spotlight, ADVISORY

EDITORS:

The following story has moved as this week’s Monday Spotlight, a feature showcasing the best off-the-news enterprise in the AP report:

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHILD ABUSE -- When the coronavirus pandemic took hold across the United States in mid-March, forcing schools to close, many child welfare experts warned of a surge of child abuse. Fifteen weeks later, the worries persist. Yet some on the front lines, including pediatricians who helped sound the alarm, say they’ve seen no evidence yet of a marked increase. Dr. Lori Frasier, who heads a child protection program in Pennsylvania, says she got input this week from 18 colleagues across the country — and none have encountered a surge of abuse. Still, some experts believe the actual level of abuse during the pandemic is being hidden from view because many children are seeing neither teachers nor doctors. By David Crary. SENT: 900 words, photos.

The AP