In Springfield, Jason Strickland has been found guilty of child abuse and will be sentenced on December 11, 2008. He faces thirty years in prison. The jury found that Mr. Strickland caused Haleigh to suffer her injuries in September 2005. He was found guilty of permitting the injury to occur. The jury decided that while Holli Strickland was the abuse, Mr. Strickland did not protect the girl.
Holli Strickland lost her life in a murder-suicide with her grandmother a few days after the Stricklands were arrested for child abuse. Adults at risk for committing abusive acts include adults with poor coping skills, unrealistic expectations, substance abuse, former victims of abuse and adults with mental health problems. Environmental factors that usually culminate in abusive events include social isolation, dysfunctional family characteristics and socio-economic burdens.
Abusive parents or caregivers have risk factors such as substance abuse, low self-esteem, mental or physical disability, depression, history of abuse as a child, poor coping skills, poor impulse control, history of violent behavior or history of being raised in a group setting with no positive parental role.
