Why are Oklahoma's children dying?

Updated: Mon, Mar 30, 2009

Think of a crowd the size of a sold-out rock concert at Oklahoma City's Ford Center, plus a few thousand more. Or, think of the population of a city like Ardmore or Ponca City. That's how many children died in Oklahoma in the last 30 years — more than 24,000. The total includes everything — deaths from illness, natural causes, accident, suicide, neglect, abuse, murder and unknown reasons.

State says Oklahoma's child abuse reputation is unfounded

Updated: Mon, Mar 30, 2009

Oklahoma has been ranked the worst state for child abuse deaths, but state officials insist the label is unfair.
What agencies do to fight child deaths
Phone numbers, web sites for help
Breaking down child deaths for 2006, 2007
Year-by-year child death statistics

Nolan Clay introduces The Oklahoman's special series.; dying too young; Great aunt's of John White remember his life and tragic death; dying too young; Jezebel Donnell's great aunt Ellen Landgraf remembers the moment of the infants death.; dying too young; Ella Akeen, mother of baby Rileigh relates the moment she found out her daughter had died; dying too young; 17 year old Corey Benton's parents dicuss their son and his murder; Crime; dying too young;


Photo gallery