Oliver: Too many children are being abused

RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County deputies investigated 85 cases involving child and sexual abuse in 2025.

“For a county the size of Franklin County, that is way too many,” Sheriff Shannon Oliver said. “Even one case is way too many.”

Some of those cases resulted in children being placed in foster care. Currently, there are 67 children living in foster care in Franklin County. Oliver said those cases involved sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and chemical endangerment.

The Russellville Police Department has made three arrests related to child abuse or neglect so far this year, the sheriff added.

Those sobering statistics are a main reason community leaders, law enforcement and foster care advocates gathered last week for the annual Walk-a-Mile for a Child event, which is held in April during Child Abuse Awareness Month.

The Franklin County Children’s Policy Council partnered with the Department of Human Resources (DHR) to organize the event.

Shown from left are Sarah Hutchinson of the Department of Human Resources, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver, Investigator Billy Burks and Franklin County District Judge Jamie Sumerel.

In 2025, DHR assessed 155 families and 196 children, Oliver said.

He said coordination between law enforcement and DHR plays a key role in identifying, investigating, and responding to cases.

“If anybody has knowledge or has heard of something, please reach out to us or DHR so we can get the investigation started,” Oliver said.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Taylor Weclowski, is a foster parent. He said the issue is something officers encounter regularly.

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 10 years. We see it all the time child abuse and child neglect,” Weclowski said.

He said events like Walk-a-Mile provide an opportunity to bring attention to the issue and encourage community involvement.

District Judge Jamie Sumerel said change comes through working together.

“As a community, we’ve got to step up for children and be their voice,” Sumerel said.

Sumerel said the goal is to encourage people to act when they see warning signs or have concerns about a child’s safety.

“If you see something, make a phone call,” he said.

Foster care

Foster parent Hillary Malone Hall said her experience reflects both the challenges and rewards of caring for children in need.

“Becoming a foster parent is a profound act of love, offering safety, stability and hope to children navigating their hardest days,” Hall said.

Hall said she has been fostering for about two years. She has welcomed 13 children into her home with placements ranging from newborns to teenagers. She said her family currently includes a set of twins in their care.

Ricky Isaac Hill speaks about his experience first as a foster child. Hill was adopted by his foster mother.

She said her experience has included temporary placements, respite care, and longer-term placements. She emphasized the importance of supporting reunification and working with biological families when possible.

“Becoming a foster parent isn’t about being a savior. It is about choosing to say ‘yes’ when a child has nowhere else to go,” Hall said.

Ricky Isaac Hill said the system is more than a process.

“It’s a lifeline for children who need safety, stability and love during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” Hill said.

He said he speaks from personal experience as he and his two biological siblings were eventually adopted.

Hill said the system continues to face challenges, particularly in finding placements for older children, siblings and those with more complex needs.

“What they [foster children] need most is consistency, adults who are there for them without conditions — not ‘I’m here for you if you become mine,’ but ‘I’m here for you no matter what,’” Hill said.