MARYVILLE, Mo. — Everyone in northwest Missouri knows the type of weather that’s fallen on the area over the past week, causing kids throughout Nodaway and Worth counties to miss
Nodaway County Sheriff s Office launches Children s Advocacy Task Force 680kfeq.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 680kfeq.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office is launching a new task force meant to combat a rise in child sex crimes in northwest Missouri brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.Nodaway County Sheriff Randy Strong has seen an increase in abuse due to more people staying at home during the pandemic and more children being home from school during that time as well.Studies show that about 1 in 7 children in Missouri have experienced abuse or neglect within the past year."A lot of times they were with someone who turned out to be their abuser," Strong explained. "Now that things are opening back up, some of these kids are coming forward and disclosing some things that have happened to them. So, nationwide, we're seeing an increase in crimes against children."Strong and other county sheriffs in the area applied for a grant through the state to form a regional task force that can act as a liaison between law enforcement agencies, a