Kentucky's current laws do not adequately protect children under the age of five from physical harm. When a very young child is struck by an adult (whether a teacher, daycare worker, caregiver, or parent) the outcome often depends on whether the child shows visible marks or can verbally report what happened. This creates a DANGEROUS gap. 

Children Under Five:

 -Are often preverbal or minimally verbal

-Cannot reliably explain abuse

-Cannot defend themselves

-May not show visible injury for long

-Rely entirely on adults to protect them

Yet under current Kentucky law, intentional physical harm to a small child can still result in charges as low as "harassment" or even be "thrown out" completely, even when evidence is clear. A recent widely reported case in Paducah, Kentucky showed that even with video evidence, the charge was classified as harassment, demonstrating that the law itself needs to be strengthened.

We are calling on members of Kentucky General Assembly to adopt an Early Childhood Assault Protection Act that would ensure consistent protections for Kentucky's youngest children. This proposal would:

-Automatically classify physical harm to a child under 5 as assault (when a witness is present or the adult acknowledges the act)

-Remove the requirement of visible injury (because small children do not always show marks and cannot describe what happened)

-Ensure young children in all settings are protected (including preschools, head start programs, daycare centers, home environments, and babysitting situations)

-Close the loopholes that fail preverbal and nonverbal children (and prevent cases from being minimalized due to lack of marks or limited speech abilities)

This law is not meant to criminalize normal, gentle physical contact or accidental injury. It is meant to ensure that when an ADULT intentionally strikes a CHILD under five, the law recognizes the seriousness of that act. 

Kentucky's children deserve real protection. Their safety should not depend on whether they can talk or whether a mark happens to remain long enough for someone to see it. 

PLEASE sign this petition and help show our legislators that Kentucky families want stronger protections for our most vulnerable children.