Online petition seeks justice for abused Kentucky children

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — A new petition is gaining momentum online, demanding sweeping reform through a bill named after a young boy whose tragic death has ignited a push for justice.

One man is turning his interest in true crime into action, hoping to change the narrative for abused children in Kentucky.

Time and time again, children suffer abuse at the hands of adults who are supposed to care for them most. True crime author Joe Clark from Morehead said Kentucky’s child protection laws are to blame.

“All too often, the people that should be protecting the child, whether it’s the parents, the guardians, the grandparents, or the schoolteacher or the daycare worker, the ones that should be protecting the child are the very ones that are abusing the child,” said Clark.

You may recall 10-year-old Jayden Spicer, a little boy from Jackson who was found dead, buried in the woods in August after a nearly weeklong search for his body.

Spicer’s mother and stepfather have since been indicted for murder and complicity to murder.

“There’s nothing more innocent than a child,” said Clark. “And if you harm a child, you should be charged with the most severe charge.”

Court records show his mom faced numerous charges in the past, including endangering the welfare of a child.

Right now, Clark said Kentucky law usually considers endangerment a misdemeanor, allows convicted abusers to petition for custody, and only allows capital sentencing if the victim is younger than 12.

This is part of what Clark is hoping to change through a new bill called Jayden’s Law. If passed, it would protect all children under 18, raise penalties for child abuse and manslaughter, close custody loopholes, and more.

“How many more years are we going to continue to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to all of this?” asked Clark. “Somebody has got to say, all right, enough is enough. Let’s take a stand. Let’s protect our kids.”

He said stricter penalties may come with a cost, but explained that the cost of not protecting children is far higher than the cost of justice.

Clark’s online petition asking others to support Jayden’s Law already has more than 1,200 signatures.