social worker killed in my hometown

[michelle2677]

yeah, this was in my hometown. Nothing EVER happens here. Well, except 2 years ago we had 26 inches of snow, and last year had those bad tornados.

I was shocked it made it to CNN today.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/17/amb...t.ap/index.htm


HENDERSON, Kentucky (AP) -- A social worker who had taken a 10-month-old boy to his mother's house for a visit was found beaten and stabbed to death, and the baby was apparently abducted, authorities said.

Police found the body of Boni Frederick, 67, at the house on Monday after she failed to return to work. Her car was missing.

Police searched on Tuesday for the missing boy, who was believed to be with his mother, Renee Terrell, 33, and her boyfriend Christopher Wayne Luttrell, 23.

The couple is missing, but it's unclear if they are together. Frederick's station wagon, a 2000 white Daewoo Nubia, also is missing, police said.

The child had been removed from his mother's care when he was 13 days old because of neglect, police said.( Watch police work the scene where they found body -- 1:32)

"It's a dangerous job anytime you're taking someone's child away from their parents," Sgt. Dwight Duncan said. "You know how protective parents can be."

The mother's white-paneled, single-story house was roped off by police tape, and a squad car was parked in front.

Neighbor Mindy Gray, 22, described the mother as "goofy, like a little kid."

"But every time I talked to her, she was sweet as can be," she said.

The mother and her boyfriend were last seen late Monday at a gas station in Illinois, authorities said.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher asked flags to be flown at half-staff on state buildings in memory of Frederick, who worked for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The last time a social worker was killed on the job in Kentucky was in 1987.

Advocates said the slaying underscores the danger of social work.

"It's like a state trooper stopping somebody for speeding," said Kathleen Hoffman, deputy director of the Association of Social Work Boards. "Ninety-nine percent of the time it's fine. But there's always that chance that somebody has a gun."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.