Imagine if a mother you knew texted their husband with the words “just got done beating your son.” That's exactly what happened, but this isn't just any message - it was a chilling admission of abuse that ended in tragedy.

A Pennsylvania woman who adopted a 5-year-old boy and murdered him has been found guilty. She admitted to severe physical abuse, including over 100 injuries and a catastrophic brain injury that led to the child's death. But she also falsely claimed it was her husband who had committed these atrocities.

This isn't an isolated incident. Across our country, there are too many cases where parents or guardians inflict unimaginable harm on children under their care. It breaks my heart every time I hear about another parent trying to hide the truth from those around them and, worse yet, from law enforcement.

It's heartbreaking that a child who was supposed to be safe with his adoptive mother died after enduring such horrific abuse. What kind of world are we leaving our children?

The prosecution highlighted how she had been texting her husband about the abuse just hours before her son died, proving beyond any doubt it was her doing.

Every parent wants their child to be safe and cared for at all times. But the reality is that these cases highlight a tragic vulnerability in our system of protection.

I can't help but think what would happen if this had occurred near one of our local schools or playgrounds. Would we have known earlier? Could more lives have been saved?

As a mother, I feel an overwhelming sense of fear and protectiveness - who is watching out for the children in our community?

Please share this article with every parent you know to raise awareness about child abuse and how we can better safeguard the little ones among us.