Organisations have grown in strength protecting the abused, the neglected and the at risk, how is it then a child has escaped the radar of such organisations for far too long?
Davontae Sanford was 14 yrs old the night a hitman engaged in his next contract killing, just streets away from his home.
In the midst of a murder enquiry, the intensity that was surrounding Runyard Street Davontae Sanford was transfixed.
In his eagerness to please he stepped forward, telling an elaborate story regarding the killings and in his childlike mind could never of imagined he was now the prime suspect.
Children have extreme difficulty in differentiating between reality in their own mind and external reality. When a teenager with learning difficulties displays these childlike qualities it can be interpreted as truth, we assume they are old enough to know the difference between fact and fiction, Davontae was such a child whose physique blinded the Police to his disability.
But does this mean he should spend his young life behind bars? knowing the truth from the mouth of the hitman himself, Davontae was not involved in this crime.
We read everyday of innocent grown competant and able men held in the prison system for crimes they did not commit, if they fight so hard for the truth to be heard then surely a child has little hope especially one with learning difficulties of ever being heard.
We must ensure this child's voice is echoed throughout the halls of Juvenile Justice, treat this child as your own, fight for him, in all conscience who of us could sleep knowing we had the tools of advocay at our disposal and remained silent?
Make the difference one child at a time, be the voice of Juvenile Defendants, No Child belongs behind Bars!!
@ One Child At A Time
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