Pinwheels for Prevention planted at courthouse

JEFFERSON – Community members and leaders gathered at the Old Ashtabula County Courthouse lawn in Jefferson on Tuesday, April 14, for an annual tradition.
They planted bright blue-and-silver pinwheels, which are part of Pinwheels for Prevention, a public awareness campaign designed to increase awareness about child abuse and neglect.
Ashtabula County Commissioner Kathryn Whittington presented a proclamation on behalf of the commissioners to Children Services Executive Director Tania Burnett.
With the proclamation, the commissioners declared April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month.
Last year, Ashtabula County Children Services received 2,096 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect, Whittington said.
“Children Services had a total of 626 children that were involved with the agency last year and an average of 147 children who were in out-of-home care each month,” she said.
She shared that Ashtabula County Children Services raises public awareness of this troubling trend through Child Abuse Prevention Month and the placing of Pinwheels for Prevention on the front lawn of the Old Courthouse.
“Child abuse and neglect are serious problems affecting every segment of our community. Ashtabula County shares in the responsibility of preventing child abuse and neglect through promotion and support of programs and activities that benefit children and their families, Ashtabula County Children Services and dedicated children’s protective workers and foster parents,” Whittington said.
The commissioners called upon citizens, community agencies, religious organizations, medical facilities and businesses to participate in the efforts to prevent child abuse, thereby strengthening the community.
“Child abuse is preventable,” Whittington said.
Whittington thanked everyone who helps or works in the field to prevent child abuse.
“We are a community raising up to keep our children safe,” Whittington said.
Also speaking was Ashtabula County Juvenile Court Judge Albert Camplese, who said the pinwheels raise awareness about an issue “that is both painful and urgent – the abuse and neglect of children.”
“At first glance, the pinwheel may seem small and unassuming, but it carries a powerful message. Its movement in the wind reminds us of the joy, the innocence and the freedom that every child deserves,” Camplese said. “It stands as a symbol of hope – of safe and happy childhoods and the future that we’re all called to protect.”
Camplese said child abuse is not always visible.
“Sometimes it reveals itself as fear, withdrawal, anxiety, changes in behavior or the silence of a child who does not have words to ask for help,” Camplese said.
That’s why awareness matters so deeply, he said.
Adults in a child’s life can all play a role in creating safe environments and recognizing when something is wrong, Camplese said.
“We’re reminded today that awareness must lead to action,” he said. “It means paying attention. It means listening carefully. It means taking concerns seriously. And it means speaking up even when doing so feels uncomfortable.”
Ashtabula County Prosecutor April Grabman then spoke.
Child abuse comes in different shapes and forms – physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse and online exploitation, she said.
“We have seen an increase in child-abuse cases across the country and across the state. At the Ashtabula County Prosecutor’s Office, we have also seen an increase,” Grabman said. “One of the alarming factors that we often see in these cases is most times, the alleged perpetrator of the abuse knows the victim in some shape or form. This then leads to the alleged perpetrator using that relationship and exploiting it to gain the trust of the victim and gain access to them.”
Often times in these cases, there’s a delay in reporting of the abuse by the victim, which can lead to challenges in the investigation and prosecution, she said.
“That is why it is crucial for early detection and reporting in these cases,” Grabman said.
Also speaking was Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Terry Moisio, who said the Sheriff’s Department has an investigator assigned to Children Services, with a primary focus to investigate child abuse cases.
“We have several of those occurring, sometimes on a daily basis, so it’s very important we continue that partnership with Children Services to prevent child abuse,” Moisio said.
In the past, Burnett said the pinwheels were chosen by Preventing Child Abuse America as a symbol for the happy and carefree childhoods all children deserve.
“This year they’ve added a component to it,” Burnett said.
The petal of the pinwheel is the role everyone plays in preventing child abuse, she said.
“Whatever your role is in the life of a child, you have the opportunity to be that trusted adult for a child,” Burnett said.