California Parents Ask for Child Abuse Registry
June 30, 2006 - A California family wants to make sure children are safe in the hands of a child care worker. They are now working to create a child abuse registry, much like the registry for sex offenders. A vigil was held Thursday night in Sacramento for Hannah Juceam. The 2-year-old died from shaken baby syndrome. Her babysitter is facing 2nd degree murder charges. Child abuse prevention advocates joined Hannah's parents on the west steps of the state capitol and demanded action from lawmakers. They're trying to draft Hannah's Law. "Hannah's Law would consist of something similar to Megan's Law," said Hannah's father Scott Juceam. "It will register people that are committing violent offenses against children. The person who murdered my daughter theoretically could go work for someone else and no one would know. That's unacceptable." Thursday night's vigil just the latest step in the Juceams' crusade. They have set up a foundation in Hannah's name, established a website and put up a billboard to warn of the dangers of shaking babies http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=state&id=4322241

Nanny won't be tried again in baby's death in Roseville By Art Campos - acampos@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page B3 There will not be a third trial in the case of a nanny who was accused of shaking a Roseville baby so violently that it caused fatal brain injuries. After two mistrials in which juries could not reach a verdict on Veronica Martinez Salcedo, the prosecution threw in the towel Monday. Deputy District Attorney Karin Bjork told Placer Superior Court Judge Robert P. McElhany that she did not believe a jury could be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Martinez Salcedo injured 16-month-old Hannah Rose Juceam on May 11, 2006. In a news conference later, District Attorney Brad Fennochio said dismissing the case "was a very tough decision." "We looked at all the facts of the case and the presentation of our case," he said. "The facts were not going to change, and the presentation was not going to change. We didn't feel we could find 12 people who could unanimously agree on this case." The first trial ended Oct. 31 with a jury deadlocking at 10-2 in favor of convicting Martinez Salcedo of assault on a child causing death. The second trial concluded a month ago with a 9-3 vote favoring acquittal. Mary Beth Acton, attorney for Martinez Salcedo, hugged members of the defendant's family after Monday's dismissal and told reporters the medical evidence reviewed by her experts indicated Hannah likely died from a medical condition rather than a shaking. Scott Juceam, Hannah's father, expressed sadness over the dismissal and bitterness toward the defense's medical experts, who he felt had swayed jurors. "Justice was not served today for the community and our daughter," he said. Juceam has a pending wrongful death civil lawsuit against Martinez Salcedo. However, the defendant's status for such a case is cloudy. She is in the country illegally from Mexico and could be deported following hearings with immigration officials. About the writer: Call The Bee's Art Campos, (916) 773-2825. http://www.sacbee.com/291/story/1116255.html