Nation IN BRIEF : MARYLAND : Recession Blamed for Rise in Child Abuse

The number of child abuse or neglect cases reported in 1991 rose to 2.7 million, up from 2.5 million in 1990, according to a survey released at the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Baltimore. The statistics showed 1,383 children died from abuse or neglect--about three to four a day--a 54% increase in six years. Officials linked the increase to the recession. They said unemployed parents may be despondent, social services are scaled back and parents who can’t afford proper day care leave their children with people not trained to properly handle them.