Tulsans Work To Raise Awareness About Child Abuse

The Tulsa County Prosecutor's Office planted pinwheels outside the Tulsa County Courthouse to help spread awareness about childhood abuse and neglect.

District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he hopes when people see the pinwheels, they will think of real children and the terrible situations they are enduring. 

He said they were not able to hold the ceremony last year because of the pandemic and said raising awareness about child abuse prevention is more important now than ever before.

He said a lot of cases went unreported because kids weren't in school or daycare or being seen by doctors. 

“When I do these kinds of ceremonies I’m glad to see all the kids and they’re having a lot of fun out there putting the pinwheels in. For me, I’m thinking about those kids who just were deprived of the life they were entitled to," said District Attorney Kunzweiler. 

He said now that kids are being in school, they are seeing an increase in reported child abuse cases and is urging anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected to report it immediately. 

Oklahoma Statewide Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1-800-522-3511