‘48 Hours’ Examines Child-Abuse Extremes
CBS’ “48 Hours” at 10 offers a disheartening report from the front lines of the war against child abuse.
Too disheartening, perhaps. Two case studies show child-welfare advocates and the courts at their worst. The second half-hour includes a profile of a dedicated and compassionate social worker. The hour’s lasting impression, however, isn’t as positive.
In “Behind Closed Doors” you’ll see an incident involving a woman accused of abusing her two children. When her ex-husband shows authorities minor bruises on the children’s forearms, the mother is slapped in jail and the children are placed in their father’s custody.
Doctors later say that the bruises could have been caused by lifting the children by their arms. There’s no compelling evidence of abuse, and there have been no previous complaints.
If this shows excessive caution, the story of Lance Helms demonstrates the opposite. His case went before a judge several times, complete with photos of bruises, cuts and black eyes. Each time he was returned to his father. Now, Lance is dead.
The broadcast raises awareness of the problem of child abuse. But in presenting two cases where the system apparently failed, it dishonors the social workers and judges who make the right calls, day after day.
Highlights
“World’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC at 8: The half-hour includes an amateur spoof on the royal family. and a cute collection of children, cats and dogs caught on home video.
“Rescue 911,” CBS at 9: The hour includes re-enactments of an accident involving a blind woman and her guide dog and a scuba diver who runs out of air and sinks.
xxxx KSPS-TV making sense of ‘Mystery!’ All of you Inspector Morse “Mystery!” fans on KSPS-Channel 7 must be wondering what is afoot. Last Thursday, KSPS made a mistake and ran the second part of the two-part “Mystery!” episode, “Twilight of Gods” before running the first. Compounding the problem is that it was supposed to be the second part of a previous “Mystery!” episode, “Promised Land.” Bill Stanley of KSPS called the entire incident “our ‘Heidi’ ‘Mystery!’ episode.” The station will make it up to viewers tonight with both parts of the “Twilight of the Gods” episode beginning at 7 p.m., followed by the lost episode of “Promised Land” at 10 p.m., unlike the grid listing above.