Center for Judicial Excellence

Justice. Accountability. Integrity.

  • About CJE
    • Meet Our Board of Directors
    • CJE Staff
  • Donate
  • Contact CJE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Initiatives
    • Advocacy & Legislation
      • Media Advocacy
      • Policy & Legislation
      • Prior Legislative Victories
    • CJE Youth Speak
      • Forced “Reunification Camps”
    • U.S. Divorce Child Murder Data
    • Educating Oversight Agencies
    • Marin Court Misconduct
  • Resources
    • Family Court Crisis Background
    • Domestic Violence & Child Abuse Resources
    • Pro Bono Services, Self-Help Centers & Court Information
    • IVAT Conference Presentation
    • Survivor-Led Advocacy Efforts
  • Media
    • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
    • Kids of Divorce Speak Out
    • CJE in the News
      • Online & Print
      • TV & Radio
      • Press Releases
    • The Director’s Corner
    • Special Projects
      • Film
      • Photo Exhibit
      • Slideshow
    • Photo Gallery
    • Events
      • Upcoming Events
        • Advocacy Training
      • Previous Forums & Events
        • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
        • Santa Monica Weekend
        • People’s Choice Award!
        • 10 Year Anniversary Campaign
  • Take Action!
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Advocacy Training Sign-Up
    • Get Social
  • News
  • Jean Taylor Memorial Fund
You are here: Home / News / US child killings have risen rapidly – why are more states pushing for joint custody laws?

US child killings have risen rapidly – why are more states pushing for joint custody laws?

May 19, 2023

Early one day last year, Kellie Elliott stopped by her estranged husband Shane’s house outside Camden in western Ohio. Her 13-year-old son, Caleb, and 10-year-old daughter, Gracie, had spent the weekend there, but they hadn’t turned up for school that snowy morning of 25 January 2022.

Elliott didn’t dare approach the front door because she was fearful of Shane, whom she was divorcing. He had subjected her and her children to violent outbursts for years, behavior which she had reported to authorities without meaningful effect.

Instead, she honked her car horn from the driveway in an attempt to get her children’s attention and waited for the police, whom she had already called, to show up.

“When [the police] came, they walked around the house several times,” Elliott recalled. “They pinged [Caleb’s and Gracie’s phones] so we knew they were inside. I told them to break down the door and go in.”

Read more here.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Filed Under: News Tagged With: abuse, child custody, child homicide, domestic violence, Family Court, gun violence, judicial accountability, ohio

Click here to see our complete U.S. Child Homicide dashboard!

Donate

CJE’s Mission

CJE is a nonprofit organization based in San Rafael, California. Our mission is to protect child abuse and domestic violence survivors in the U.S. family court system and to foster accountability throughout the judicial branch.

For nearly two decades, the Center has been a voice for vulnerable children and a catalyst for child safety as we work tirelessly to expose the systemic failures in U.S. family courts that are harming countless children. We accomplish this by educating the media, lawmakers, and the public about the need for significant reforms while we spearhead legislation focused on keeping children safe and alive through their parent’s divorce or separation.

Contact Us

P.O. Box 150793
San Rafael, California 94915
Phone: 415-444-6556
Email:
info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org

Find Us on Facebook

CJE Facebook Page

Email List Signup

CJE DOES NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. We want to hear your story, however, please be advised, if you choose to share information with us, we can not guarantee your privacy.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; CJE and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites. Readers of this website should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances whether the information contained herein applies to your particular situation.

 

Copyright © 2025 Center for Judicial Excellence. All Rights Reserved.

Log in