Experts weigh in on parents protecting children amid arrest of former church employee
MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The recent arrest of a church employee in Madison for soliciting a child has sparked conversations among some people surrounding the importance of parents protecting their children when it comes to technology.
Former Summit Crossing Community Church employee David Mark Sellers is now in the Madison County Jail after inappropriately communicating with a minor.
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Experts say when it comes to a child parents can never be too cautious even as it pertains to a person they may trust.
“When you go into a place of worship, you would expect as a parent that it’ll be a safe place for your children to be, but unfortunately that’s not always the case,” Alicia Roper said.
Roper, the deputy director of the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) says there are several ways to keep a closer eye on your children and it starts with being a proactive parent.
“I think it’s really important that parents know to check the phones of their children often to see what kind of conversations may be happening and what’s going on and asking questions,” Roper told News 19.
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Those tough conversations with your children can be difficult but Roper says they’re necessary.
“Anytime you have maybe an opportunity to bring it up in a casual conversation, it doesn’t have to sit down and be a scary conversation you have, but really just bringing it up and saying you know there are times where we have to be aware,” she said.
Roper says the digital age of technology presents a number of dangers for children.
It’s why experts recommend parents be involved in their children’s lives to raise their awareness.
“It’s really important from a prevention standpoint that we educate children on what’s safe and not safe,” Roper said. “If something is said to them, if something is sent to them that may be inappropriate we need educate our children on what that looks like.”
The National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville has a number of online training and helpful resources for parents and children and the CTF has a digital safety initiative that focuses on informing families about the dangers of online predators.
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