IRONTON, Ohio -Lawrence County’s law enforcement agencies collaborate closely on criminal investigations, aiming to gather evidence for courtroom prosecutions. Despite this, the county has lacked a full-time child sex abuse investigator for decades. Recently, Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson secured funding from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for a two-year grant totaling $161,000. This grant will support a dedicated deputy tasked with investigating child sex abuse cases, which are notoriously challenging to prosecute due to lack of witnesses and reliance on evidence. The investigator will focus on collecting physical evidence, conducting forensic interviews with children, and gathering suspects’ DNA to strengthen cases. This initiative aims to enhance prosecution success and protect vulnerable children in the community, responding to an increased number of sexual abuse reports in recent years.
